Skiier Eileen Gu Arrives at Her Second Olympics With a ‘New Sense of Lightness’: ‘I Am Here to Have the Most Fun’

Eileen Gu marked a reflective return to the Olympic spotlight on Tuesday, February 3, sharing a thoughtful Instagram post from Livigno, Italy.

The Olympic freestyle skier and global sports star, 22, appeared in a series of images that captured both the weight and joy of returning for her second Games. In one striking shot, Gu stood confidently in front of the iconic Olympic rings, dressed in a crisp white ski set complete with a structured jacket, matching pants, and boots.

Another image showed a softer side of Gu away from competition, posing on a balcony overlooking a snow-covered mountain village. She wore a sleek black long-sleeve top paired with coordinating bottoms, her hair worn down as she smiled with her eyes closed. The relaxed styling contrasted with the intensity of the slopes, highlighting the balance she described in her caption.

Gu also included an childhood image, showing her in a colorful winter outfit while standing in deep snow with ski poles in hand.

In her caption, Gu wrote that she’s approaching “the next few weeks with a new sense of lightness, of love for the sport, and of excitement for progression. For most of the past few years, I’ve felt stuck – between injuries and very little time on snow (no regrets on full time school, obviously, but I felt removed from skiing to a degree) I was living contest to contest. Now, I feel this renewed sense of infatuation with skiing itself, with competing for the sake of sportsmanship and Olympic values, and with the art and craftsmanship that is inherent to this sport. No matter what results follow, I am here to have the most fun and be fully present in this experience:)”