Eileen Gu defends halfpipe gold as Milan Cortina Games close
eileen gu defended her Olympic freeski halfpipe title in Livigno, Italy, winning with a score of 94. 75 on a bright Sunday after the event was postponed by a heavy snowstorm the night before. Her victory extended a streak of medals across her Winter Games appearances and came amid the closing-day activity at the Milan Cortina Games.
Eileen Gu’s final run and the Livigno Snow Park setting
Gu, 22, who was born in the United States and competes for her mother’s homeland of China, delivered a technically clean second run and an even stronger final run at the Livigno Snow Park. The event had been rescheduled to Sunday following a big snowstorm the night before; on the rescheduled day the sun came out and Gu even shielded her eyes to catch a peek at her winning score and instantly liked what she saw.
She lost her balance on the first trick of her opening run but recovered across the next attempts, finishing the event with a 94. 75. After landing her last trick she pumped her ski poles in celebration. There were fans at the base of the halfpipe holding up pictures of her and waving flags.
Medal totals and career milestones
The gold in Livigno continued a remarkable string: the victory was described as a title defense in the Olympic ski halfpipe and was framed in context with Gu’s wider Winter Games record. One account noted she has made it six medals in six events over her Winter Games career, and that she captured two silver medals at the Milan Cortina Games to pair with two golds and a silver from the Beijing Games. Another account noted that the halfpipe win gave her a third career gold medal and was her third medal of any color at these Games.
Gu called the records meaningful beyond gender, saying the achievement reflects competitive and mental strength and the ability to perform under pressure. She also said she feels honored to lead and pioneer the sport and that she never imagined being able to do so.
Podium rivals: Li Fanghui, Zoe Atkin and the field
Gu’s teammate Li Fanghui took the silver medal, while Zoe Atkin of Britain finished third. Atkin, 23, an American-born skier who competes for her father’s homeland, soared as high as 5. 4 meters (18 feet) above the pipe at one point. She had taken the lead after the first run with a smooth performance and is the defending world champion.
Atkin finished ninth at the Beijing Games and has been a steady presence on World Cup podiums since, with three victories over the last four years in events where Gu did not compete. Atkin praised Gu as a great competitor and an amazing skier and noted the group of skiers is elevating the level of the sport. Atkin also referenced her sister, Isabel, who won an Olympic bronze in ski slopestyle at the 2018 Pyeongchang Games.
Incidents, equipment and other final-day stories
New Zealand’s Mischa Thomas, who called Gu "Wonder Woman, " dropped her phone during a second run and had it retrieved; after the competition Thomas said, "My phone is great. Never been better. " Fraser, who finished fourth, remarked, "She's a great skier, and she raises the level for everyone else, but she's not unbeatable, " adding, "I don't think the level is untouchable. "
Svea Irving was a DNS in her second run, returned for a third run but struggled to complete a maneuver and finished 11th. Cassie Sharpe of Canada sat out the final after a hard crash in Thursday's qualifying round; she won the gold in the event at the 2018 Pyeongchang Games and silver four years later in Beiji.
Closing day at the Milan Cortina Games and broader takeaways
The halfpipe final came on the final day of the 2026 Winter Olympics as the closing ceremony wrapped up the Milan Cortina Games. The United States won gold in the men's hockey tournament when Jack Hughes scored in overtime against Canada. After 19 days of competition, 348 medals were handed out.
The final medal tally put Norway at the top of the standings; the Games handed out 116 sets of gold, silver and bronze medals, with 18 golds and 41 medals overall going to Norway. Cultural and human-interest moments punctuated the final day as well: Snoop Dogg sat down for a one-on-one interview with Brittany Ghiroli and was described as having become a prominent presence at the Games, and Lindsey Vonn made a brief return to competition, skiing for 13 seconds before a devastating injury that left an impression on the event.
