Beijing Winter Olympic champion Gu Ailing, also known as Eileen Gu, participated in the torch relay for the 2024 Summer Olympic Games in the Loire-Atlantique department of western France on Wednesday.
“I am currently by the Loire River in France, having just completed the torch relay. I am still very excited and very happy to be here as a young athlete to participate in the event,” Gu shared.
The event drew a large crowd of local residents who gathered to cheer on the torchbearers. Gu, a freestyle skiing world champion, expressed that the enthusiastic atmosphere deeply moved her and heightened her pride in being a torchbearer.
“I saw children, elderly people, and even babies in their parents’ arms along the road. From them, I could feel their passion for the Olympics and sports. I think this is also part of the Olympic spirit—to attract more people to participate,” said the 20-year-old athlete, who secured two gold medals and one silver for China at the 2022 Winter Olympic Games in Beijing.
During the relay, Gu frequently made a hand gesture representing the number six. She explained that in contemporary Chinese slang, “six” signifies excellence. Additionally, the gesture resembles horns, and in Chinese, the character “niu,” meaning “cow,” also conveys awesomeness or impressiveness.
“I wanted to use this gesture to show that China is awesome, and Chinese athletes are awesome too. I especially hope to see Chinese athletes achieve great results in the upcoming Olympics next month,” Gu said. “I will definitely come to Paris to watch the Olympics then.”
When asked which event she was most looking forward to at the Summer Olympics, Gu, primarily known for her winter sports achievements, joked, “I can’t say that. I have many friends competing in the Olympics, and if I mention one and forget another, they might not be happy.”
Gu revealed that she had just finished a semester at Stanford University and had flown over ten hours to France the day prior to the torch relay, completing her final assignments on the plane.
“I have to fly back to the United States tomorrow to continue preparing for my final exams,” she added.
Reference(s):
Winter Olympic champion Gu Ailing carries torch for 2024 Summer Games
cgtn.com
