Why China is giving special treatment to ski big air finalist Eileen Gu?
Eileen Gu, the “national idol” of the host country, China, has made a good start toward becoming the first queen.
On February 7, the qualifying round of the new ski freestyle event “Big Air” was held, and she placed fifth overall to advance to the final round.
The 18-year-old beauty skier Eileen Gu, known as the “Princess of the Snow” in China, is the daughter of an American father and a Chinese mother, and started competing as a Chinese citizen last season. She has already won the Halfpipe and Slopestyle events at the World Championships, and is the first female skier in the world to make the “Double Cork 1440”, making her one of the top candidates for gold in each of the three events she will compete in at the Beijing Olympics. She is a top candidate for the gold medal in all three events she will compete in at the Beijing Olympics.
In ski freestyle, in addition to mogul, in which Japan’s Anri Kawamura and others competed, there are six other events: aerial, ski cross, halfpipe (final on February 18), slopestyle (final on February 14), and big air (final on February 7). There are six types of events: aerial, ski cross, half pipe (final on February 18), slopestyle (final on February 14), and big air (final on February 7).
In particular, Big Air, which has been adopted as a new event, falls into the category of “X-sports” (extreme sports), which are competitions that emphasize the entertainment value of captivating people through detached feats, and are extremely popular among young people. Just as surfing, skateboarding, and BMX (bicycle motocross) were the talk of the summer Olympics in Tokyo, they will be the focus of attention at this year’s games.
As for the stage for the battle, the Chinese people’s expectations for the “Princess of the Snow” are only rising at the newly built luxury special venue “Big Air Shougang” in Beijing. The reason why Eileen Gu is so popular in China is not only because of her spectacular performance.
She has already signed a contract with a major modeling agency, her fresh smile has graced the covers of fashion magazines, and she has worked as a brand advisor for Adidas and Tiffany. Her pretty face is not the only reason why global fashion brands are using her as a foothold to enter the Chinese market. We can’t overlook the fact that she has been accepted to the prestigious Stanford University in the U.S.,” said a reporter from a sports paper.
It can be said that she is a “rising star” who is as talented as she is picturesque.
At the same time, China, the host country, will be in a position to hope for the best. In the midst of a mountain of problems with the U.S., starting with the economic friction, the alleged suppression of the Uyghurs, the Taiwan problem, the accusation racket against Chinese women tennis players, and the diplomatic boycott of the Beijing Olympics, it would be a good news if an American-Chinese athlete plays a big role in the Olympics. In addition, it would be a big deal if they were to become the first queen in a new event or win the triple crown for the first time in history.
That’s why, looking at the competition schedule, the three events are not consecutive. There is talk of special treatment. It is reported that Eileen Gu was raised in the U.S. but is a Beijing girl who loves Peking duck.
The final round is scheduled to start at 11:00 on the 8th. The final round is scheduled to start at 11:00 a.m. on the 8th, and not only the Chinese people, but also the Chinese government, is watching her performance with great interest.
Photo: AFP/Afro