Eileen Gu to be Gangwon 2024 Global Ambassador at Winter Youth Olympic Games
January 19, 2024
Double Olympic champion Eileen Gu, known for her achievements in freestyle skiing and modeling, is taking on a new role: Gangwon 2024 Global Ambassador at the Winter Youth Olympic Games.
Gu’s new role: Having previously won gold and silver medals in various events, the 20-year-old aims to share her experiences and advice with the 1,900 athletes participating in the upcoming games from Jan. 19 to Feb. 1 in Gangwon, South Korea, reported Olympics.
The value of Youth Olympics: In an interview with CNN, Gu, also known by her Chinese name Gu Ailing, emphasized the valuable experiences and unity that the Youth Olympics offer to athletes.
“It really is the only event where athletes from different sports will come together and compete under the five rings and really have this sense of unity, of crossover, of sportsmanship and friendship – especially with people your age,” Gu said. “It really is a formative experience and is something that kind of stokes the spark in you, hopefully for the Olympics in two years.”
Inspiring female athletes: Despite facing challenges and injuries, Gu, who is a student at Stanford University, excels both academically and athletically, noting the profound impact of athletics on her life. She discussed the pressure and stereotypes she faced as a female athlete and how she now uses her platform to advocate for representation and inspire the next generation of athletes. Gu said she is looking forward to the Paris Olympics in 2024, where she has the opportunity to encourage aspiring athletes, especially girls, to pursue their dreams.
“What I try to do is use my platform loudly and unapologetically,” Gu said. “I think that representation is key, and I also think that there is a duty for everybody in the sport to make it as welcoming and accessible as possible for everybody… I always say, hopefully, there’s one girl sitting in front of her TV screen at home thinking: ‘If she looks like me and she talks like me and she can do that, then maybe I want to give it a try.’”
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