Superstar Gu still doing it for the girls

SCHAFFHAUSEN, Switzerland — Three-time Olympic freeski medal winner Gu Ailing says she is continuing her mission to inspire girls and women around the world.

The 19-year-old became the first freestyle skier to win three medals at one Olympics with her halfpipe gold, Big Air gold and slopestyle silver at the Beijing Winter Games for Team China last year.

"A ton has happened since Beijing 2022 in February. I started my freshman year of college at Stanford. That has been a big development in my life in general," Gu told Xinhua at an event organized by Swiss watchmaker IWC at its base in Schaffhausen.

"Outside of that, I've done a ton of projects on my own, lots of events and speaking engagements," said Gu.

She was nominated for the Laureus World Action Sportsperson of the Year award, and also named one of the 100 most influential people of 2022 by Time Magazine.

Hectic schedule

Asked about the next Winter Olympic Games in Milan and Cortina d'Ampezzo in 2026, Gu said: "I'm not thinking about events too far in the future. Of course, Milan is on my radar, but it's extremely far out still. I'm really thinking about the days and weeks and months close at hand, trying to be the fittest, the strongest, the best that I can be now, and maintaining my love for the sport.

"Leading up to the next Olympics, there are a few seasons to go. There are world championships, there are X Games, there are World Cups every year. I'm trying to focus on one step at a time, especially in this pivotal point in my career."

Gu did not compete at the FIS World Cup after the Winter Olympics until she claimed the halfpipe gold at Calgary, Canada on Jan 19.Then she pulled out of the X Games Aspen 2023 after sustaining a knee injury in training.

"I have learned a lot about balance and the importance of enjoying your own life. A lot of that has come from a sense of purpose. I want people to partake in sports and winter sports to break their own boundaries. I've learned the importance of sharing that with others.

"I want young people to discover their voices and to find a sense of purpose and meaning in whatever it is they choose."

Time of the essence

The Olympic champion stressed that the engineering spirit and precision of Swiss watchmaking have a lot in common with ski sports.

"I am a master of time management. That's one of the secrets of my success," she explained. "Most recently, I have been doing a ton of homework on the plane, planning my life out down to the minute, just being super precise in everything I do.

"Outside of that, in skiing in general, there's definitely the element of precision involved, definitely every single degree counts.

"We share that respect toward history and tradition, but also that desire to innovate and continue to be excellent in our own areas."

Gu stressed that her mission to inspire and empower girls and women to reach for their dreams remains unchanged.

"I want to be true to myself, to maintain my own passions, to find things that are meaningful to me and share them in a way that is applicable to others," she said. "To hopefully make the world a better place in whatever way I can."

Xinhua