What's next for three-time Olympic medal winner Eileen Gu? 'Stay tuned'

Zhangjiakou, China - Eileen Gu knows she is going to Stanford in the fall.

Between now and then, it's much less clear. Fresh on Friday to claim his third Olympic medal - a half-pipe gold that wasn't really in question - Gu didn't know what his immediate future held.

"I have so many big goals in the future, but I really don't know what I'm going to do," she said. "You guys have to stay at that."

The 18-year-old freeskier has become the biggest star of the Games, winning gold medals in big air and silver in slopestyle in addition to her halfpipe medals. Born and raised in San Francisco, Gu competes for her mother's native China.

That multicultural background has made her a cultural touch point during these Olympics, even as it has worked to bridge the gap.

But Gu's extraordinary talent was what made him a star. Her three medals tied her the most by any action sports athlete at the Olympics, and she is the only woman to do so in a single Games.

In addition, bilingual teens tend to be good at most other things. Also a model, he is a gifted pianist with a 1580 SAT score who joined one of the most prestigious schools in the country.

"I'm a very competitive person and I'm also a very goal-oriented person," Gu said. "I know I'm going to Stanford. I know I still love skiing and I know I want to continue my work in the fashion industry and I want to be a nerd and I want to keep writing And I want to publish some of my writing.

After that, a lot is up in the air — especially on the competition next season.

Many Olympians take time off after the Games, a period that often extends a season or two. This may also include Gu, who charmed many with his story and skiing here.

"In terms of competition, I don't even know what I'm doing next year. I'm going to college," she said. "In terms of skiing competitively, will I continue to compete? Who knows? I still love skiing. I'd love to continue competing. But it depends on what else I'm doing in terms of resources and time. I'm going to do what feels right to me and hopefully be able to make some positive changes in whatever decision I make."

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