Eileen Gu of China won gold in the women's freeski halfpipe at the 2026 Milan Cortina Winter Olympics, defending her Beijing title with a score of 94.75 on her third run. Teammate Li Fanghui took silver, while Zoe Atkin of Great Britain earned bronze in the rescheduled event at Livigno Snow Park. The victory marks Gu's third gold and sixth overall Olympic medal.
The women's freeski halfpipe final took place on Sunday, February 22, 2026, after being postponed from the previous day due to a snowstorm. Held under bright, sunny conditions at Livigno Snow Park, the competition featured 11 finalists, with each athlete allowed three runs and their best score counting.
Eileen Gu, the 22-year-old American-born skier competing for China, started with a scratched first run but rebounded strongly. Her second run earned 94.00 points, putting her in gold-medal position with a sequence including a right cork 900 Buick, left cork 900 tail, right 720 tail, switch left 720 Japan, and back-to-back alley-oop flat 540s. She improved to 94.75 on her third run, securing the win and becoming the most decorated Olympic freestyle skier with six medals across two Games.
Li Fanghui scored 93.00 on her third run for silver, posting 91.50 earlier. Zoe Atkin, the reigning world champion and American-born skier representing Great Britain, led after the first run with 90.50 but finished with 92.50 for bronze despite achieving the day's highest amplitude of 5.4 meters. Atkin, who finished ninth in Beijing, celebrated her first Olympic medal.
New Zealand's Mischa Thomas praised Gu, saying, "She is unreal. It's pretty crazy how good she is. She is 'Wonder Woman.'" American Svea Irving did not start her second run but placed 11th. Canada's Cassie Sharpe, the 2018 gold medalist, sat out after a qualifying crash.
Gu's performance highlighted China's dominance, with four women advancing from qualifying. The event concluded the freestyle skiing program on the final day of the Olympics.
