Olympic star's success sets the bar high

Many parents aim for offspring to follow Gu Ailing's example

The success of 18-year-old Olympic freestyle skiing champion Gu Ailing has prompted many Chinese parents to consider how to better raise their children.

Gu captivated China on Tuesday with victory in the women's freeski Big Air event, performing a stunning final jump she had never attempted before.

Moreover, her admission to Stanford University, along with a successful modeling career and mastering of many nonacademic skills have led to many parents wondering if their children can follow in Gu's footsteps.

Chinese netizens strongly approve of the parenting skills of Gu Yan, the mother of Gu Ailing, and many suggest that she should write a book on child-raising.

Hashtags on Gu Yan's parenting have trended on China's Sina Weibo social media platform. The hashtags "Gu Ailing's mother says she doesn't need her daughter to go to Stanford" and "The number one tip from Gu Ailing's mother is to sleep more" have been viewed hundreds of millions of times.

A poll of nearly 150,000 netizens on Sina Weibo on Wednesday showed that considerable talent, effort and self-discipline, as well as family background, have contributed to Gu Ailing's success.

According to media reports, Gu Yan received a bachelor's degree from Peking University and an MBA from Stanford University.

Gu Ailing was raised by her single mother, who worked as a Wall Street investor in the 1990s and is also a skier. The mother had her daughter skiing at a young age.