Irene Gu, an American-born skier who represented China at the 2022 Olympics, was reportedly injured in a training accident in New Zealand last week. The incident occurred at Cardrona Alpine Resort, where bystanders described her injuries as serious, necessitating her transport to a hospital on a stretcher.
Gu offered updates via her Weibo account, sharing, “Unfortunately, there was a very bad accident yesterday. Hopefully, I’ll be back in the snow soon, but I’m still waiting for a final confirmation from the team of experts.” She emphasized the need for total focus during training due to the risks involved, explaining that interruptions can be extremely dangerous.
During the Beijing 2022 Olympics, Gu won two gold medals and a silver. Her choice to compete for China instead of the USA sparked some controversy. Though her father is American, her mother is a Chinese immigrant. Reports claim that she became a Chinese citizen at the age of 15, which would have required her to renounce her U.S. citizenship, as China does not permit dual citizenship.
Gu mentioned she spent a significant part of her life in China and traced her connection back to when she was nine, proposing the idea for China’s first slope-style skiing event. Looking ahead, she has expressed her intention to represent China again at the 2026 Olympics.
