Coc Ai Lang, also known as Eileen Gu, secured a gold medal in the women's halfpipe skiing final at the 2026 Olympic Winter Games. This achievement followed her earlier wins of two silver medals in other events at the same games. The victory was bittersweet for the athlete and model, who received news shortly after her competition that her grandmother, Phung Quoc Tran, had passed away due to illness.

Phung Quoc Tran was a pivotal figure in Ai Lang's upbringing. "Throughout my journey, my grandmother was an incredibly important source, someone I deeply admired. I didn't promise her I would win; I promised to be brave like her," Ai Lang shared.

Her grandmother instilled a powerful belief in her from childhood. Phung Quoc Tran would often tell her, "You are the best." At Ai Lang's childhood races, her grandmother would find a visible spot and cheer in English, "Eileen Gu, No.1."

This mantra fueled Coc Ai Lang's desire to conquer challenges and shaped her decisive approach to career choices. "Perhaps I thrive under pressure, often choosing the most difficult tasks to challenge myself," Ai Lang explained.

Ai Lang with her grandmother and mother. Photo: *The Paper*

Coc Ai Lang admired her grandmother's courage, likening her to a steamboat that steered, accelerated, and moved forward despite rough waters.

Phung Quoc Tran graduated from Shanghai Jiao Tong University in 1955 with a degree in industrial electrification. She worked as an engineer at the Ministry of Transport of China. A sports enthusiast, she was a member of her university's basketball team and enjoyed football and long-distance running.

At this year's Olympic Winter Games, Coc Ai Lang earned a total of three medals: one gold and two silver. She set a record as the most decorated freestyle skier in history, across both male and female athletes, with six Olympic medals over two appearances. She also became the Chinese athlete with the most medals in the history of the Olympic Winter Games. Xinhua lauded Coc Ai Lang as a "genius teenager."

"Winning once is difficult; winning again when all eyes are on you is even harder. But Coc Ai Lang achieved it," Xinhua commented.

The 22-year-old Coc Ai Lang was born and raised in San Francisco, California. Her mother is a Chinese immigrant, and her father is American. Her parents divorced when she was young, and Ai Lang was raised by her mother. She attends Stanford University and has represented China in international competitions since 2019. Her decision to compete for China, rather than the United States where she was trained, has generated discussion over the years.

Following the Olympics, Coc Ai Lang traveled to Milan, Italy, for a fashion event. She expressed her enthusiasm for exploring diverse fields. "I am very interested in exploring different areas. I enjoy combining feminine beauty with skiing and hope to express the harmonious beauty of these two," Ai Lang stated. She is currently a model, frequently appearing at fashion weeks and filming advertisements for fashion houses.

Nghinh Xuan