Eileen Gu: US-born skier is lathered in $42M endorsements after joining team China
Eileen Gu, a stunning American-born freestyle skier, and Victoria’s Secret model who could have been America’s next ticket to Olympic gold but decided to join team China is in the news once again after reports showed that the young skier reportedly raked a lot of cash from Chinese sponsorship with her decision to represent China. Gu received a lot of backlash for her decision especially from members of the American skiing community who hoped that she would compete for the US. The 18-year-old went as far as to renounce her US citizenship to become naturalized in China in order to represent the communist country at the ongoing Beijing Winter Olympics 2022.
Tianxiashangwang, a news outlet in China, reported on Tuesday that Gu has bagged over $42 million worth of sponsorship and endorsement deals. Out of which, at least $31 million has come from over 20 deals with Chinese companies such as Bank of China, China Mobile, milk company Mengniu, and Luckin’ Coffee, claims Business Insider.
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Campaignasia.com reported that the young freestyle skier scrapes about $2.5 million for every single endorsement deal. According to Reuters sales of Gu’s red Anta ski suit surged 20 times on Chinese e-commerce platform JD.com and the Luckin' Coffee sold out of her endorsed drinks shortly after she won gold in the Freeski big air event last week. Considering Gu’s winning streak so far the sum is only expected to grow exponentially. On Tuesday, she followed up her gold medal performance by winning a silver medal in slopestyle, while her halfpipe event is yet to come.
Previously, the teen skier also signed with Victoria’s Secret and plans to attend Stanford after she scores multiple golds for Beijing. Eileen didn’t say much about her sponsorship deals but maintains that it was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for her to promote the sport she loves in her mother’s native home.
Who is Eileen Gu?
Eileen Feng Gu aka Ailing Gu is an ultra-athletic American-born freestyle skier. The 18-year-old also has a career as a fashion model for Victoria’s Secret. She was born in San Francisco, California to an American father and a Chinese mother. Yan Gu, Eileen’s mother, was also a skier who moved to the US as a student in her twenties. She put young Eileen into ski lessons at Lake Tahoe where she evidently became a pro. “Accidentally created a pro skier,” said Yan.
