Fans go wild over 'rare' detail in Eileen Gu's Winter Olympics photo
Teen superstar Eileen Gu has become the face of the Winter Olympics and fans have gone wild over a detail in a photo she posted with her grandmother before she won her second gold.
The 18-year-old star created history in Beijing after adding to her gold medal tally winning the ski halfpipe final on Friday.
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The historic feat means Gu is now the first 'action sports' athlete (consisting of freestyle skiing and snowboarding) to win three medals at a single Games.
The American-born 18-year-old, who is representing China after her announcement prior to the Winter Olympics, was in tears after her final run already aware she had created history.
Gu would have been feeling the pressure ahead of the Big Air final after revealing she was seeking her grandmother's approval during the Games.
The 18-year-old was raised in San Francisco by her mother and grandmother.
Gu told reporters that her grandmother had never seen her compete and wanted her to become a "doctor or a lawyer" instead of a freestyle skier.
"She's never watched me compete. I don't think she's ever watched me ski," the 18-year-old told reporters ahead of her halfpipe final.
"She's going to be unfazed and unimpressed I think," she added.
Fans adore panda hat in Gu photo
Ahead of the finals, Gu posted a photo of her grandmother having arrived in China wearing a panda hat and her gold medal on Instagram.
The photo has garnered more than 270,000 likes.
However, following her historic win at the ski halfpipe final, fans noticed Gu was wearing the same hat as her grandmother from the day before.
The detail sparked a huge response from fans.
One reporter joked there will be long lines of fans seeking the panda hat Gu sported.
For you, Grandma! #EileenGu gave her first gold medal🏅️ to her grandmother and received her second gold medal🏅️ wearing her grandmother's #panda🐼 hat. #BEIJING2022 pic.twitter.com/yEbEZSvdvQ
— ShanghaiEye🚀official (@ShanghaiEye) February 18, 2022
Eileen Gu sported the rare #BEIJING2022 panda hat in the mixed zone after her halfpipe win.
"You know how Bing Dwen Dwen is very rare right now and people can’t find it? So this is like the ultimate collectable, so I kind of had to flex because how sick is this?"— Rachel Axon (@RachelAxon) February 18, 2022
get ready for long lines to buy the eileen gu panda hat pic.twitter.com/2QjghzTRd4
— allenwan290 (@allenwan290) February 18, 2022
Eileen Gu wearing her Chinese grandma’s panda hat to claim the gold medal pic.twitter.com/mI8K369MAR
— 奶油香蕉relished ☭ (@creamybanana02) February 18, 2022
WHERE CAN I GET THIS EILEEN GU PANDA HAT
pls help pic.twitter.com/kUTevzQwjy— Cryptocowboy.eth (@paagodaa) February 18, 2022
Eileen Gu accepts her gold— her third medal of these Games—in women’s halfpipe in a panda hat that nods to beloved Bing Dwen Dwen.
She’s the first freestyle skier to ever win 3 medals in a single Olympics; before Beijing, no skier had won more than won (3 athletes have 2 here) pic.twitter.com/xCXuG40cKO— Laine Higgins (@lainehiggins17) February 18, 2022
#EileenGu making history winning 3 medals, 2 gold 1 silver in #BEIJING2022 but all I want is the panda hat she's wearing. pic.twitter.com/k4As8p22kn
— Carl Zha (@CarlZha) February 18, 2022
The panda hat is based off one of the Olympic Games' mascots, panda Bing Dwen Dwen.
Gu walked into the mixed zone after winning gold and was asked about the hat.
"You know how Bing Dwen Dwen is very rare right now and people can’t find it? So this is like the ultimate collectable, so I kind of had to flex because how sick is this?" she told reporters.
Gu said the hat was a gift from her sponsor Anta.
The 18-year-old superstar, dubbed the 'snow princess', is reported to have up to 30 sponsors such is her popularity.
Anta would be happy with their decision to have handed Gu the hat considering the attention it is receiving.
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