Eileen Gu admits lucky escape after skiing crash forces X Games withdrawal in Aspen
Chinese Olympic champion says she is ‘OK’ in Instagram post that reveals her ‘tanks hit zero’, with Asian Winter Games only days away
China’s Olympic champion skier Eileen Gu said she ignored signs that she was exhausted before a crash that caused her withdrawal from the X Games and left her “unable to walk”.
Gu crashed into safety netting during the ski street style event in Aspen, Colorado on Friday local time, and was examined by medics before hobbling from the scene – with, she later revealed, severe bruising.
It came on the day that Gu was named in China’s 170-athlete delegation for next month’s Asian Winter Games, to be held in the northeastern Chinese city of Harbin.
The 21-year-old did not indicate whether her participation in the Games from February 7 to 14 was in doubt. Gu had previously confirmed that she would compete in Harbin in the U-freeski, big air and slopestyle competitions.
However, the triple Olympic medallist said on social media that her Aspen accident happened after her “mental and physical tanks hit zero”. Having finished fourth in the street style event on Buttermilk Mountain, she pulled out of the slopestyle.
