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\t\t<\/p>\n Eileen Gu<\/strong><\/a> had a bittersweet day on the final day of the 2026 Winter Olympics<\/strong><\/a><\/em>. <\/p>\n The 22-year-old Olympian won the gold in the Freeski Halpipe for the second Winter Olympics in a row, defending her title from 2022. <\/p>\n However, in a post event press conference, she revealed that she was late to speak with press because she just learned her grandma passed away. <\/p>\n Keep reading to find out more\u2026<\/em><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n \u201cThe reason I was late is that I just found out that my grandma passed away,\u201d she said <\/a>while becoming more emotional. \u201cShe was a really big part of my life growing up and someone I looked up to immensely. She was a fighter.\u201d<\/p>\n Eileen<\/strong> continued, \u201cI think what\u2019s so interesting is that a lot of people just cruise through life, but she was a steamship. This woman commanded life and she grabbed it by the reins and she made it into what she wanted it to be. She inspired me so much.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cShe was very sick, so I knew that this was a possibility,\u201d the athlete shared. \u201cI didn\u2019t promise her that I was going to win but I did promise her that I was going to be brave like she has been brave. That\u2019s why I keep referring to this theme of betting on myself and being brave and taking risks. It actually goes back to that promise that I made my grandma.\u201d<\/p>\n She concluded, \u201cSo, I\u2019m really happy that I was able to uphold that and hopefully do her proud. But it\u2019s also a really difficult time for me now. So I really apologize for being late but that\u2019s what was going on.\u201d<\/p>\n Our thoughts go out to Eileen Gu<\/strong> and her family during this time. <\/p>\n Eileen<\/strong> competed in three events at the Winter Olympics this year, and she won a medal in each one. <\/p>\n She picked up silver medals in both slopestyle and big air, before winning gold for the second Winter Olympics in a row in freeski halfpipe. <\/p>\n While at the Olympics this year, Eileen<\/strong> has also faced backlash for competing for China instead of the USA, where she was born and raised. Find out how she responded to criticism<\/a> from Vice President JD Vance<\/strong><\/a>.<\/p>\n <\/span><\/p><\/div>\n