The Chinese “super idol,” teenage gold medalist of the Women’s Freeski Big Air, Gu Ailing Eileen, fired back on Monday night at a US media report which mocked the American-born figure skater Zhu Yi for her lackluster performance representing China. “She is a great person and skating is incredible!” Gu said, adding that mistakes and pressure are only part of the competition.
US media outlet Insider posted on Instagram a photo of Zhu burying her face crying after she delivered an error-riddled performance in her Olympic debut, with the caption “Figure skater Zhu Yi gave up her US citizenship to compete for China. Now, she’s being attacked by Chinese social-media users after falling in her Olympic debut.”
On Tuesday night, Gu posted that “as someone who actually uses Chinese social platforms, I am going to say right here that over 90% of comments are positive and uplifting. It is part of the sport and everyone understands that.”
The 19-year-old Zhu, who was born in Los Angeles and returned to China in 2019 after winning the women’s title in the novice division at the 2018 US Figure Skating Championships, gave out a disappointing performance on Monday in the women’s free skate with two falls, earning a score of 91.41 points, after the failure in her debut on Sunday, where she failed to land two separate jumps and crashed into the wall at one point.
When asked about Zhu’s performance at the Beijing Winter Games, Gu replied that she is a wonderful person and figure skating is “incredible and for me horrible,” she said jokingly with a big smile, adding that, “there is a blade down on your feet and you have to wear skirts on ice, it is simply too hard!”
“So, I think Zhu is amazing. Being able to compete in the Olympic Games is already an incredible feat. Mistakes and pressures are only parts of the game; she fell down, so as many other athletes in the field,” she said.
Gu also mentioned that “we should all have the spirit of sports and bear in mind that athletes do not always give out their best at such a platform. But the most important thing is that she is safe and she is enjoying the process.”
Amid the applause from the International Olympic Committee (IOC) President, Thomas Bach, and the cheering of flag-waving audience, 18-year-old Gu Ailing, with hands on her head and a look of excitement, captured the gold of the Women’s Freeski Big Air final at the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympic Games.
Her victory not only brings Team China to the top of the current Olympic medals table, with the host country winning three gold medals but is also a historic achievement as she is China’s first women’s Olympic gold medalist on snow sports.
Gu Ailing Photo: Li Hao/GT
