LIVIGNO, Italy – Eileen Gu cemented her status as a freestyle skiing icon at the closing of the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics, adding another gold medal to her growing collection in the women’s halfpipe final. The 22-year-old’s victory came amidst personal grief, as she revealed the passing of her grandmother shortly before the competition.
Gu’s winning run, a near-flawless display of athleticism and technical skill, scored 94.75, solidifying her lead over Chinese teammate Li Fanghui (93.00) and Great Britain’s Zoe Atkin (92.50). The American-born skier, competing under the Chinese flag, now boasts six Olympic medals – three gold and three silver – across halfpipe, slopestyle, and big air events from the Beijing 2022 and Milano Cortina 2026 Games, making her the most decorated freestyle skier in Olympic history.
While Gu’s performance dominated the headlines, the final also marked a significant moment for 16-year-old Australian prodigy Indra Brown. Despite a challenging start with a low-scoring first run (55.50) due to insufficient amplitude, Brown rallied to finish fifth landing a combination trick in her final run for the first time in competition. Her final score of 87.00 showcased her potential and resilience on the world stage.
The connection between Gu and Brown extends beyond the competitive arena. Gu, who previously received coaching from Jamie Melton – the same coach currently guiding Brown – sees a reflection of her younger self in the Australian skier. “She’s so amazing. I mean she’s incredible. The consistency, the execution, I, I think she’s fantastic,” Gu said after the event. “I told her I was so proud of her, and also I told her that her time would come because I could tell she was a little bit disappointed with fifth, but I’m not at all worried [about her future prospects]. She has many, many, many, many, many medals in her future, and so, as long as she keeps up her work ethic, I have no concern. She can be amazing.”
The camaraderie between the two skiers was evident as Gu embraced Brown immediately after her final run, offering encouragement and support. Brown described the moment with her idol as “pretty special.” The gesture highlighted Gu’s sportsmanship and willingness to mentor the next generation of freestyle skiers.
Gu’s victory was made all the more poignant by the recent loss of her grandmother, a figure she described as a significant influence in her life. “The reason I was late, I just found out that my grandma passed away, and she was a really big part of my life growing up and someone I looked up to immensely,” Gu shared, visibly emotional. “She was such a fighter…and she inspired me so much. The last time I saw her before I came over to the Olympics she was very sick, so I knew this was a possibility. I didn’t promise her I was going to win, but I did promise her that I was going to be brave, like she has been brave, and that’s why I keep referring to this theme of betting on myself and being brave and taking risks.”
Despite the personal tragedy, Gu remained focused on her performance, delivering a gold-medal-winning performance that she dedicated to her grandmother’s memory. She emphasized her commitment to continuing her skiing career, expressing a desire to return to training and competition rather than taking an extended break.
“I’m so in love with skiing, and I think this past Olympic cycle especially, I’ve broken through so much like mental gunk that had kind of built up after the last Olympics,” Gu explained. “After the last Olympics, I took like nine months off…I don’t even really want to do that. Like I kind of want to – I have to go to Fashion Week (in Milan) now and like do my fashion work as like the other job, but after that I kind of just want to go back and ski more.”
Brown’s Olympic debut concludes before she heads to Calgary, Canada, for the Park and Pipe Junior World Championships, where she is expected to contend for a gold medal. Her coach, Jaime Melton, previously guided Gu during her early career, suggesting a promising trajectory for the young Australian athlete. The parallels between Gu and Brown’s careers – from coaching connections to early success – suggest that Brown is poised to become a major force in freestyle skiing in the years to come.
Elsewhere at the Milano Cortina Games, Australia’s Cooper Woods and Danielle Scott were honored as the nation’s flag bearers for the closing ceremony, recognizing their gold and silver medal performances, respectively. The Australian mixed aerial team finished fourth in the final event, narrowly missing a medal.
