Ailing (Eileen) Gu: "Outside of skiing I am a huge nerd!"
In an exclusive interview with Olympics.com, the double Olympic champion reveals why she's studying quantum physics and her belief in the importance of education, plus vital lessons learnt from her mother.
Freestyle Skiing
When Ailing (Eileen) Gu is flying through the air during her freestyle skiing routines, it often seems like she is challenging the laws of gravity.
It is fitting, therefore, that the double Olympic champion from Beijing 2022 studies quantum physics at Stanford University in the United States.
“Outside of skiing I am a huge nerd!” she told Olympics.com.
“I really like to learn and to stretch my mind. That's what I really love about quantum physics; it's very conceptual and it makes you question the nature of reality. That's very fascinating to me because in my own way, when I'm skiing, I guess I'm bending the laws of what's possible in the first place.
“Achieving the impossible has always been something that has drawn me in, so that's where I see the parallel between quantum physics and skiing.
Ailing (Eileen) Gu: At home in the classroom and on the slopes
Growing up in the United States, Gu showed as much talent for academia as she did on the slopes, reportedly scoring 1580 out of 1600 on her SAT exams.
A year after winning two golds and a silver at the Winter Youth Olympic Games Lausanne 2020 while representing the People’s Republic of China, she graduated high school early and gained early admission to study at Stanford, her mother’s alma mater.
Gu deferred her entry in order to focus on the Winter Olympics Beijing 2022, where a magnificent performance saw the then 18-year-old become the youngest freeski Olympic champion in history with gold in Big Air and halfpipe, as well as slopestyle silver.
The sporting prodigy and fashion model then began her studies in late 2022. But rather than considering herself a part-timer in any of her pursuits, she sees herself as a ‘full-timer' in everything that she does.
“I've been a full-time student my whole life. But going back to being a full-time student after taking two years to be a professional skier is definitely a new step for me,” Gu continued.
“I’m adjusting to working three full-time jobs all year round between fashion, school and skiing.”
“I think being in college is giving me a lot of perspective of going back into the real world, and that has just been so much fun. I’m just enjoying myself, taking it one step at a time. It sounds a little boring, but I guess it's just true."
To some, the rigorous demands of Gu's gruelling studying, business and sporting schedule would seem unsustainable.
But the teenager believes this variety is exactly what prevents her from burning out, and sees it as a vital factor behind her success.
_“_I will continue to follow my different passions. I've always been a huge proponent of living a balanced lifestyle, so now I am really channelling my creativity and my self-expression through skiing, fashion, and academics.
“I think that just having an educational background and being able to apply that knowledge to anything, learning how you learn, learning how to perform under pressure, learning about how your mind works. I think these are all widely applicable skills, no matter what avenue you choose to apply it. There are many cross references and ways in which learning and sport are interconnected.
“Balance to me means making sure that you get enough sleep at night, making sure that you move your body every day, and that you do something for your mind. Maybe you're learning or you're nurturing the soul, something that can expand your worldview.”
Gu pays tribute to her mother's example
Now 19, Gu is keen to highlight the role her mother - Gu Yan - has played in her successful career.
Yan gained a master’s degree in chemical engineering in China before emigrating to the United States in her 20s to continue her studies, and enrolled in an MBA at Stanford.
Aged 40, she gave birth to Ailing, raised her as a single parent and instilled values that would help her daughter succeed in any field she put her mind to.
“My mom really inspired me growing up, mostly in her capacity to make things happen,” Ailing said.
“Everyone can talk about their lofty goals or seemingly unreachable ambitions, but being able to put your head down and create an actual action plan and work towards it each and every day is 90 per cent of the actual battle.
"So I think that her capacity to do that has always been really inspiring to me and something that I carry with me to this day.”