Eileen Gu Laughs Off 'Gold Lost' Question, Reminds World of Her Accomplishments

The Olympian made it clear she has nothing left to prove and is not interested in treating silver like failure.

Published on Feb. 21, 2026

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Eileen Gu, the American-born Chinese freestyle skier, responded calmly and confidently when asked if her two silver medals at the Olympics were a disappointment. Gu reminded reporters that she is the most decorated female freeskier in history, and that winning any Olympic medal is an incredible accomplishment. She expressed pride in pushing the boundaries of what's possible in her sport and refused to view her silver medals as anything less than hard-earned successes.

Why it matters

Gu's response highlights her self-awareness and refusal to be defined by others' expectations. As a global athlete who competes for China, her home country, Gu has become one of the most fascinating and polarizing figures in Olympic sport. Her ability to balance her athletic career, education at Stanford, and high-profile endorsements and fashion work makes her a unique ambassador for her sport.

The details

During a press conference, a UK reporter asked Gu if her two silver medals felt like 'two golds lost.' Rather than bristle at the question, Gu calmly laughed it off and reminded the reporter that she is the 'most decorated female freeskier in history.' She said that winning any Olympic medal is an incredible accomplishment, and that doing it five times is 'exponentially harder' as expectations rise. Gu expressed pride in pushing the boundaries of what's possible in her sport and refused to view her silver medals as anything less than hard-earned successes.

  • Gu responded to the reporter's question during a press conference at the 2026 Winter Olympics.

The players

Eileen Gu

An American-born Chinese freestyle skier who has won five Olympic medals, including two silvers at the 2026 Winter Games. Gu is a Stanford student, runway model, and global pitchwoman who competes for China, her mother's home country.

UK reporter

A reporter who asked Gu if her two silver medals felt like 'two golds lost' during a press conference at the 2026 Winter Olympics.

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What they’re saying

“I'm the most decorated freeskier, female freeskier in history. I think that's a answer in and of itself. …Winning a medal at the Olympics is a life-changing experience for every athlete. Doing it five times is exponentially harder because every medal is equally hard for me but everybody else's expectations rise, right? And so the two medals lost situation to be quite frank with you, I think is kind of a ridiculous perspective to take. I'm showcasing my best skiing. I'm doing things that quite literally have never been done before. And so I think that is more than good enough. But thank you.”

— Eileen Gu (Sporting News)

What’s next

Gu still has one more event, the Halfpipe, left to compete in at the 2026 Winter Olympics.

The takeaway

Eileen Gu's confident and self-assured response to the 'gold lost' question underscores her refusal to be defined by others' expectations. As a global athlete who competes for China, Gu has become a fascinating and polarizing figure, but her ability to balance her athletic career, education, and high-profile endorsements makes her a unique ambassador for her sport.