Gu, the American-born skier who represents China, turns in the top score not once but twice in a competitive qualifier, and she says she was holding back.
Eileen Gu looks on during the women’s freestyle ski halfpipe qualification rounds at the Winter Olympics on Thursday (Wednesday night PT) in Zhangjiakou, China. Gu, who was born and raised in San Francisco but competes for China, had the two top scores of the day as she pursues her third medal of these Olympics. (Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images)
China’s Eileen Gu competes during the women’s halfpipe qualification at the 2022 Winter Olympics, Thursday, Feb. 17, 2022, in Zhangjiakou, China. (AP Photo/Lee Jin-man)
China’s Eileen Gu competes during the women’s halfpipe qualification at the 2022 Winter Olympics, Thursday, Feb. 17, 2022, in Zhangjiakou, China. (AP Photo/Lee Jin-man)
China’s Eileen Gu competes during the women’s halfpipe qualification at the 2022 Winter Olympics, Thursday, Feb. 17, 2022, in Zhangjiakou, China. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull)
China’s Eileen Gu competes during the women’s halfpipe qualification at the 2022 Winter Olympics, Thursday, Feb. 17, 2022, in Zhangjiakou, China. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull)
Eileen Gu of Team China performs a trick on their second run during the Women’s Freestyle Skiing Freeski Halfpipe Qualification on Day 13 of the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics at Genting Snow Park on February 17, 2022 in Zhangjiakou, China. (Photo by Clive Rose/Getty Images)
China’s Eileen Gu competes during the women’s halfpipe qualification at the 2022 Winter Olympics, Thursday, Feb. 17, 2022, in Zhangjiakou, China. (AP Photo/Francisco Seco)
Eileen Gu of Team China performs a trick on their second run during the Women’s Freestyle Skiing Freeski Halfpipe Qualification on Day 13 of the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics at Genting Snow Park on February 17, 2022 in Zhangjiakou, China. (Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images)
China’s Eileen Gu competes during the women’s halfpipe qualification at the 2022 Winter Olympics, Thursday, Feb. 17, 2022, in Zhangjiakou, China. (AP Photo/Lee Jin-man)
Eileen Gu of Team China performs a trick on their second run during the Women’s Freestyle Skiing Freeski Halfpipe Qualification on Day 13 of the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics at Genting Snow Park on February 17, 2022 in Zhangjiakou, China. (Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images)
China’s Eileen Gu competes during the women’s halfpipe qualification at the 2022 Winter Olympics, Thursday, Feb. 17, 2022, in Zhangjiakou, China. (AP Photo/Francisco Seco)
China’s Eileen Gu compete during the women’s halfpipe qualification at the 2022 Winter Olympics, Thursday, Feb. 17, 2022, in Zhangjiakou, China. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull)
China’s Eileen Gu competes during the women’s halfpipe qualification at the 2022 Winter Olympics, Thursday, Feb. 17, 2022, in Zhangjiakou, China. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull)
China’s Eileen Gu competes during the women’s halfpipe qualification at the 2022 Winter Olympics, Thursday, Feb. 17, 2022, in Zhangjiakou, China. (AP Photo/Francisco Seco)
Eileen Gu competes during the women’s freestyle ski halfpipe qualification rounds at the Winter Olympics on Thursday (Wednesday night PT) in Zhangjiakou, China. Gu, who was born and raised in San Francisco but competes for China, had the two top scores of the day as she pursues her third medal of these Olympics. (AP Photo/Lee Jin-man)
Eileen Gu of Team China performs a trick during the Women’s Freestyle Skiing Freeski Halfpipe Qualification on Day 13 of the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics at Genting Snow Park on February 17, 2022 in Zhangjiakou, China. (Photo by Maja Hitij/Getty Images)
China’s Eileen Gu competes during the women’s halfpipe qualification at the 2022 Winter Olympics, Thursday, Feb. 17, 2022, in Zhangjiakou, China. (AP Photo/Francisco Seco)
China’s Eileen Gu talks to reporters after the women’s halfpipe qualification at the 2022 Winter Olympics, Thursday, Feb. 17, 2022, in Zhangjiakou, China. (AP Photo/Francisco Seco)
Team USA’s Brita Sigourney competes in the freestyle skiing women’s freeski halfpipe qualification run during the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympic Games at the Genting Snow Park H & S Stadium in Zhangjiakou on February 17, 2022. (Photo by Marco BERTORELLO / AFP) (Photo by MARCO BERTORELLO/AFP via Getty Images)
Team USA’s Brita Sigourney competes in the freestyle skiing women’s freeski halfpipe qualification run during the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympic Games at the Genting Snow Park H & S Stadium in Zhangjiakou on February 17, 2022. (Photo by Marco BERTORELLO / AFP) (Photo by MARCO BERTORELLO/AFP via Getty Images)
Team USA’s Brita Sigourney competes in the freestyle skiing women’s freeski halfpipe qualification run during the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympic Games at the Genting Snow Park H & S Stadium in Zhangjiakou on February 17, 2022. (Photo by Ben STANSALL / AFP) (Photo by BEN STANSALL/AFP via Getty Images)
Team USA’s Brita Sigourney competes during the women’s halfpipe qualification at the 2022 Winter Olympics, Thursday, Feb. 17, 2022, in Zhangjiakou, China. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull)
Team USA’s Brita Sigourney competes during the women’s halfpipe qualification at the 2022 Winter Olympics, Thursday, Feb. 17, 2022, in Zhangjiakou, China. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull)
Team USA’s Brita Sigourney competes in the freestyle skiing women’s freeski halfpipe qualification run during the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympic Games at the Genting Snow Park H & S Stadium in Zhangjiakou on February 17, 2022. (Photo by Ben STANSALL / AFP) (Photo by BEN STANSALL/AFP via Getty Images)
Team USA’s Brita Sigourney competes during the women’s halfpipe qualification at the 2022 Winter Olympics, Thursday, Feb. 17, 2022, in Zhangjiakou, China. (AP Photo/Francisco Seco)
Team USA’s Brita Sigourney competes during the women’s halfpipe qualification at the 2022 Winter Olympics, Thursday, Feb. 17, 2022, in Zhangjiakou, China. (AP Photo/Francisco Seco)
Team USA’s Brita Sigourney competes during the women’s halfpipe qualification at the 2022 Winter Olympics, Thursday, Feb. 17, 2022, in Zhangjiakou, China. (AP Photo/Francisco Seco)
Team USA’s Brita Sigourney waits to see her score as she competes in the freestyle skiing women’s freeski halfpipe qualification run during the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympic Games at the Genting Snow Park H & S Stadium in Zhangjiakou on February 17, 2022. (Photo by Ben STANSALL / AFP) (Photo by BEN STANSALL/AFP via Getty Images)
ZHANGJIAKOU, China — Eileen Gu turned in the top score not once but twice in a competitive women’s ski halfpipe qualifier on Thursday (Wednesday night PT) as she chases her third medal at the Beijing Olympics.
She was holding back, too.
The standout American-born freestyle skier who represents China already has a gold from big air and a silver from slopestyle. The San Francisco product is bidding to become the first action-sports athlete to capture three medals at the same Winter Games.
Gu played it safe – by her standards, anyway – in the first of two runs and still scored a 93.75. Hardly content, she went even bigger on her final run and scored a 95.50 on what was a cool and crisp morning at the Genting Snow Park.
To think, even more big air and bigger tricks await.
“I’m not going all out,” Gu said after her second run. “I have a few more tricks I’d like to have the opportunity to do.”
It was a competitive event with 10 of the freestyle skiers who moved on scoring 82.25 or higher. None, though, jumped into the 90s like Gu did – twice.
Rachael Karker of Canada was in second position with a score of 89.50 and Kelly Sildaru of Estonia, the bronze-medal winner in slopestyle, wound up third with 87.50. Safely in, Sildaru skipped her final run.
The top 12 advanced to the final on Friday.
Defending champion Cassie Sharpe of Canada was in sixth position. She’s returning to form after tearing a ligament in her knee and fracturing her femur a little over a year ago. Three Americans made the final with Brita Sigourney leading the way in eighth position. Sigourney, from Carmel, took third at the 2018 Pyeongchang Games.
Gu used the second run as an opportunity to iron out some new tricks. She landed everything – another confidence-building trip through the halfpipe for the heavily favored freestyler.
“The halfpipe is such a fun event,” she said.
Maybe her best one, too. Gu has won each World Cup halfpipe contest this season along with the Dew Tour. In addition, Gu captured halfpipe gold at the 2020 Winter Youth Olympics in Switzerland.
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