Gu Ailing apologizes for being late to press conference after learning grandmother passed｜Olympics

Yeah. Um, I'm so proud of how I've done this Olympics. I joke, I'm not a betting

this Olympics. I joke, I'm not a betting woman, but if I were, I took a big gamble this time because I chose to do three events knowing that I hadn't trained halfpipe in two months, knowing

that I would miss the halfpipe training because of in case I made big air finals, which I also hadn't competed in in four years, mind you. And so being able to really trust myself that when it

came down to the moment, I would be able to perform to the best of my ability regardless of metal color or metal in general. Um, but that's a big bet. And

general. Um, but that's a big bet. And

also just the difficulty of competing in three events, making finals in three events. I had to compete six times. And

events. I had to compete six times. And

I kind of liken it to a marathon, but the pace of a 100 meter dash because every day is the Olympics. I have to give 100% every day. So there's no day that I can just chill a little because

every day matters. So I guess what I mean to say with that is I have done something that I I took a big risk in trusting myself and I'm glad that I did.

Um I walk away as the most decorated free skier of all time, male or female.

I have the most gold medals of any free skier ever, male or female. And that is something that I'm so so proud of. Is

unbelievable to me is still surreal. Um,

and so I appreciate all the people who support me and who hopefully take up free skiing maybe because of me. Um, or

at least maybe heard about free skiing for the first time. That those are the people who I do it for. Otherwise, I

just encourage people to use that energy and direct it to something um that makes the world better in their own way. I

think I'm making the most amount of good with the powers that I have as um a 22-year-old athlete. And I think in this

22-year-old athlete. And I think in this way I'm benefiting the most people. If

people disagree with me, if they have other skill sets, which I'm sure they do, then I encourage them to direct that direct it elsewhere and to make the world better in their own way.

As young women, I think it is easy to doubt. Um, and I mean this as in like

doubt. Um, and I mean this as in like instilled, you know, selfinstilled self-doubt, but also maybe external subtleties and like little micro things

that make you doubt yourself and over time make you afraid to try. That's why

we see rates of young women participating in sports drop off precipitously between the ages of 11 and 14. And so, as far as trusting yourself,

14. And so, as far as trusting yourself, the power of sport is unparalleled because it is evidence over affirmation.

It's you don't tell yourself, "Oh, I can handle the pressure. Oh, I'm so great."

You do it time and again. And another

thing, you know, I said this earlier in an interview. I said, "Sports are really

an interview. I said, "Sports are really honest because you can't lie to yourself. You know when you stayed late

yourself. You know when you stayed late and other people weren't there. You

know, when you showed up early and other people weren't there, you know, when you gave 100% in training day in day out for months, for months." And so it's not about, you know, at the last second I

tell myself a chipper little line and call it a day. It's the fact that I look back on quite literally years, like decade of hard work of pouring my heart and soul into this sport. And so it's,

yeah, it's trusting myself, but it's building that trust every day. Um, and

so that's a big reason why I encourage more young girls to get into sports because I think that the power it has to build and instill that confidence in people um is is a really special and and unique form.

>> Oh, yeah. Yeah, I guess I didn't answer the second question. So, um, it's fashion week in Milan, so I have the other job, the other fashion thing. Um,

no, no, I'm really excited to just explore some other avenues, be creative, and explore my femininity through fashion, which is something I've always loved, and to kind of put that in

juxtaposition with skiing and and with sports. And I think that they can

sports. And I think that they can coexist so beautifully. And so, I hope to represent that um, next week in Milan.

A big thing is I'm not afraid to try. I

take big risks and for the last two Olympics it's worked out. Um but even if it hadn't, I think I left nothing on the table. Like I know that looking back at

table. Like I know that looking back at this Olympics and the months that preceded it, there is quite literally nothing that I could have done more.

Like I did everything I could um every single day. Every single thing that I

single day. Every single thing that I could like if you can think of something like oh I should do this now. I've done

it. I have done every single thing I could possibly do for this Olympics. And

so it's like if things didn't go my way, I wouldn't regret feeling unprepared. I

wouldn't regret feeling like I could have done more. And so that I also think instills a bit of confidence in you because you can never control the result. You can never control the

result. You can never control the outcome, but you can control the preparation. And most importantly, you

preparation. And most importantly, you can fall in love with the process.

Fore!

Foreign! Foreign!

Um, thank you, Charlotte. That's very kind.

Um oh man.

Do I think I think overall I'm just a pensive person. Like I'm a very

pensive person. Like I'm a very introspective I'm an introspective young woman. Like I spend a lot of time in my

woman. Like I spend a lot of time in my head. Um and it's not a bad place to be.

head. Um and it's not a bad place to be.

I I journal a lot. I break down all of my thought processes. I think I apply a very analytical lens to my own thinking.

And I kind of modify it because it's so interesting. You can control what you

interesting. You can control what you think. Like you can control how you

think. Like you can control how you think and therefore you can control who you are. And especially as a young

you are. And especially as a young person like I'm 22 so with neuroplasticity on my side, I can literally become exactly who I want to be. How cool is that? Like how

be. How cool is that? Like how

empowering is that, right? And so the fact is I get to become every day the kind of person that me at age eight would revere. Like I would be obsessed

would revere. Like I would be obsessed with me today. Are you kidding? I would

love me. And I think that's the biggest flex of all time that you can have like little younger you be proud of you today. And so I guess for me it's like I

today. And so I guess for me it's like I yes I spend a lot of time in my own head. Yes, I think a lot. But it's not

head. Yes, I think a lot. But it's not really like in an egotistical kind of way. It's in like a tinkering like a

way. It's in like a tinkering like a scientist kind of way. I'm always like trying to modify. I'm trying to think how can I be better? How can I approach my own brain the way that I approach my craft of free skiing um so that I can be

better tomorrow than I was today?

>> Yeah, I think for me global beneficial impact is like my central theme. Um and there are a lot of

central theme. Um and there are a lot of different avenues that anybody can do that and I think it's more assessing your individual skill set and trying to say okay what is the way that I can as a

person do the most good in the world.

Um, so right now I'm young, I'm energetic, my body is like physically as capable as it can be compared to, you know, 30 years down the line. So it

makes the most sense for me to do that through the avenues that I'm exploring now, fashion, sport, and skiing. Um,

down the line, I think it will absolutely take a different form. Yeah,

I think as I age and as I grow and um, the like I guess avenue of like highest optimization will change. I'm not going to be too specific in answering that because I don't want to commit myself to

something. But do I have ideas? Yes,

something. But do I have ideas? Yes,

absolutely.

So, when I was when I had this press conference four years ago, a lot of it was theoretical. You know, I say I want

was theoretical. You know, I say I want to inspire more girls to try skiing. I

don't even need to do that anymore because now I can just look at the numbers. 350 million people tried snow

numbers. 350 million people tried snow sports for the first time. there's

double-digit increase growth in the industry both in terms of snowport impressions in terms of um sponsorships,

money in the sport. This is huge because it's not just about okay, it is about there's people in China, there are kids in China, there are girls in China whose lives are going to be touched by the

beautiful and wonderful power of sport.

So that in and of itself is absolutely measured impact that I think I had always wanted. I reached that goal and I

always wanted. I reached that goal and I exceeded it. Um the second thing is

exceeded it. Um the second thing is within the industry itself, the ski industry, there are more eyes on this sport than there were four years ago.

There are more people paying attention to it now. Um the fact is a rising tide raises all boats. And so this is also good for every other athlete competing regardless of what country you compete

for. And so that kind of mentality of I

for. And so that kind of mentality of I want to bring the sport to more people to hopefully benefit people outside the sport and also be able to give back to

my own community free skiing um and everybody who partakes in it. Now um as a competitor, I don't want to generalize, but as a competitor myself,

I think we yearn the thing we yearn for most is a worthy opponent. I think

there's something so beautiful in that.

It's not about beating other people, but it's about this sense of healthy competition. That's what sportsmanship

competition. That's what sportsmanship is. That's what the Olympics are about.

is. That's what the Olympics are about.

If I went to a middle school and like beat everybody at free skiing there, it's like not exciting for anybody, right? What's exciting is that year

right? What's exciting is that year after year we get to see the progression of a sport as the average of everybody and everybody's average rises and we all get better and maybe the people at the top are contributing a little bit more,

but everybody is contributing to that growth. Um, and and that's something

growth. Um, and and that's something that's really special to me. So, do I welcome that? Yeah, absolutely.

welcome that? Yeah, absolutely.

Absolutely. I mean, I love to compete. I

love to compete. I love to win, but I love to compete and I love to ski. And

so, if I were to put that in order, I would say I love to ski first and then I love to compete and then I love to win.

But at my heart and soul, I like to ski.

Yeah. And then I know you said that was the last question, but I just want to say something really quickly. Um, the

reason I was late is that I just found out that my grandma passed away and um, she was like a really she was a really big part of my life um, growing up and

someone I looked up to immensely. She

was such a strong she was a fighter and I think what's so interesting is that a lot of people just cruise through life, but she was a steamship. like this woman commanded

steamship. like this woman commanded life and she grabbed it by the reinss and she made it into what she wanted it to be and she inspired me so much. The

last time I saw her before I came to the Olympics she was very sick so I knew that this was a possibility.

Um I didn't promise her that I was going to win but I did promise her that I was going to be brave like she has been brave and that's why I keep referring to this theme of like betting on myself and like being brave and taking risks. It

actually goes back to that promise that I made my grandma. And so I'm really happy that I was able to uphold that um and hopefully do her proud. But um it's also a really difficult time for me now.

So I really apologize for being late, but like that's what was going on.

Sorry.

>> Uh Guj for her. Yeah.

for her. Yeah.

>> Guing chef for sharing your emotions with us. That's all what we have for

with us. That's all what we have for today. Thanks for attending on site or

today. Thanks for attending on site or uh online. And these are the last words

uh online. And these are the last words from Levveno Snow Park press conference room. Stop the live stream now.

room. Stop the live stream now.

>> Thank you.