Eileen Gu is one of the highest paid female athletes in the world, but few know her name. The 22-year-old American freestyle skier, who represents China in international competitions, earns an impressive $23 million a year, but only $100k comes from her sport.
She is set to compete in her second Winter Olympics in Milan Cortina, whose Opening Ceremonies air at 2 p.m. ET. Eileen made her debut in 2022 at the Beijing Winter Olympics and won two gold medals and a silver.
Going into Milan Cortina, Eileen is heavily favored to win several medals, specifically in halfpipe, big air, and slopestyle. But how did the freestyle skier become the fourth highest paid female athlete in the world?
Here's everything we know about Olympian Eileen Gu.
© Getty ImagesEileen was born in San Francisco
Eileen was born on September 3, 2003 to her mom, a first-generation Chinese immigrant, Yan Gu. Like her daughter, Yan is an athlete. While she was studying to receive her master's degree in chemical engineering at Peking University in Beijing, Yan was a member of the short-track speed skating team.
Eileen started skiing when she was just three-years-old in Lake Tahoe with her mom. In 2020, she was accepted to Stanford University.
© Getty ImagesEileen's incredible career
It didn't take long for the skier to make history. In 2021, when she was just 18, Eileen became the first woman to land a forward double cork 1440 in competition. She dominated international competitions – from winning two gold medals at the 2021 X Games to doing the same at the 2021 World Championships.
© Getty ImagesEileen represents China at the Olympics
Although she was born in the United States, Eileen represents China in international competitions. The skier announced her decision to Instagram in 2019, writing: "I am proud of my heritage, and equally proud of my American upbringings."
She continued: "The opportunity to help inspire millions of young people where my mom was born, during the 2022 Beijing Olympic Winter Games is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to help to promote the sport I love. Through skiing, I hope to unite people, promote common understanding, create communication, and forge friendships between nations."
© Getty ImagesThe Beijing Olympics
In 2022, Eileen made her Olympic debut at the 2022 Beijing games. During the competition, she became the youngest gold medalist in freestyle skiing. She won two gold medals and a silver medal at the games. Because of her success, Eileen was awarded the Best Breakthrough Athlete and Best Female Action Sports Athlete ESPY Awards at the 2022 ESPY Awards.
© Getty ImagesEileen's sponsorships and modeling career
Most of the athlete's impressive $23 million annual income comes from sponsorships, endorsements and her modeling career. Before the 2022 games, Eileen was partnered with brands like Mengniu Dairy, Luckin Coffee, JD.com, and China Mobile.
She is also represented by IMG Models and has appeared on the covers of Harper's Bazaar, Elle, Cosmopolitan, and Vogue. Eileen is a Red Bull athlete and is endorsed by Porsche.
