Eileen Gu’s Reported $6.6 Million Olympic Payment Revealed

Eileen Gu’s decision to compete for China instead of the United States continues to draw attention as new financial details emerge during the 2026 Winter Olympics. The American-born freestyle skier, who represents China through her mother’s heritage, has reportedly received millions in payments tied to her Olympic participation.

According to the Wall Street Journal, Gu and fellow American-born athlete Zhu Yi were paid a combined $6.6 million in 2025 by the Beijing Municipal Sports Bureau for “striving for excellent results in qualifying for the 2026 Milan Winter Olympics.” Over the past three years, the two athletes reportedly received nearly $14 million in total. The payments became public when the bureau’s budget was posted online with their names included. The names have since been removed from the report.

Eileen Gu’s Reported $6.6 Million Payment for Competing for China

Gu, 22, was born in San Francisco and announced in 2019 that she would represent China in international competition. She said at the time that her decision was about inspiring young athletes in her mother’s home country, particularly ahead of the 2022 Beijing Games.

At the Beijing Olympics, Gu won two gold medals and one silver in freestyle skiing for China. She has continued to compete under the Chinese flag at the 2026 Winter Games in Milan-Cortina. She recently captured silver in the women’s freestyle skiing slopestyle event, finishing behind Switzerland’s Mathilde Gremaud.

After winning silver, Gu addressed the pressure surrounding her unique position. “Sometimes it feels like I’m carrying the weight of two countries on my shoulders,” she said. “Just being able to ski through all of that, you know. To still show my best and still be so deeply in love with the sport. That’s really what I care about and I’m so happy to represent that today.”

Zhu Yi, who was born Beverly Zhu in Los Angeles and now competes in figure skating for China, is not competing at the 2026 Games.

Eileen Gu’s $23 Million Earnings & Endorsement Deals

Beyond competition payments, Gu ranks among the highest-paid athletes at the 2026 Winter Olympics. Forbes reported that Gu earned approximately $23 million in 2025, with all but $20,000 coming from endorsements, sponsorships, and appearances outside of skiing. Her endorsement portfolio includes brands such as Red Bull, Porsche, IWC Schaffhausen, TCL Electronics, and several Chinese-based companies.

She is reportedly the fourth-highest-paid female athlete in the world, trailing tennis players Coco Gauff, Aryna Sabalenka, and Iga Swiatek.

Gu’s citizenship status has also remained a topic of scrutiny. China does not allow dual citizenship, raising questions about whether she relinquished her U.S. passport. Gu has not publicly clarified her citizenship details.

As the 2026 Winter Olympics continue, Gu is scheduled to compete in two additional events: women’s halfpipe and big air.

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