Eileen Gu, the California-born Olympian who chose to ski for Communist China instead of the United States, claimed the gold medal that had eluded her at the Winter Olympics on Sunday, with a win in the halfpipe event.
AFP reported she had been forced to wait when the contest was postponed on Saturday due to heavy snow smothering Livigno, high in the Italian Alps.
On Sunday, in blazing sunshine, Gu delivered with panache, posting a best score of 94.75 to dazzle the judges at the Milan-Cortina Olympics, the outlet noted.
Straight after the win Gu was happy to applaud herself and her achievements as she now has three Olympic golds and three silvers in total. She quickly exclaimed:
Every day I was fighting, I gave my all every single day that I’ve been here, and that’s no joke.
In all three events I showcased my best skiing and as far as performance goes, that’s all I can ask for — to be able to show the world the best that women’s skiing has to offer at the moment, that it really counts.
I’m the most decorated freeskier of all time, male or female.
She then went on to point to her own strength and determination as joint keys to her supreme Olympic status, saying of her victory(s) “That’s a testament to competitive strength, it’s mental strength. It’s being able to perform under pressure. It has nothing to (do with) if you’re a boy or a girl.”
Gu has been the focus of controversy during her entire Olympic career.
Breitbart News reported Gu attacked President Donald Trump’s words about Team USA freestyle skier Hunter Hess, after Hess said it was “a little hard” for him to “wear Team USA gear.”
Hess also stated there was “a lot going on” in the United States he wasn’t “the biggest fan of.”
In response to Trump labeling Hess a “real Loser,” Gu said she found Trump’s “critique of Hess inconsistent with the spirit of the games.”
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