Eileen Gu’s choice to compete for China at the Olympics seems to have paid off—for now.
The U.S.-born freestyle skier says she made the choice to honor her mother, who was born in China.
But the move has meant financial return, too.
After winning gold in the Olympics’ Big Air competition, sales of Gu’s red ski suit surged 20-fold on Chinese e-commerce platform JD.com. Her ski wear was made by Chinese sportswear brand Anta.
On top of that, Chinese coffeehouse chain Luckin Coffee sold out of its Gu-endorsed drinks, with a sales spike for cup-holders that bear her image.