![Chinese ski goddess Gu Ailing, earning 33.7 billion won annually, holds 'highest value' among Olympic athletes [Milan Cortina 2026] - Seoul Economic Daily Sports News from South Korea](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwimg.sedaily.com%2Fnews%2Fcms%2F2026%2F02%2F06%2Frcv.YNA.20260130.PAF20260130183201009_P1.jpg&w=3840&q=75 "China's 'Ski Goddess' Gu Ailing Tops Olympic Athletes in Annual Earnings")
Chinese freestyle skier Gu Ailing, also known by her American name Eileen Gu, ranks as the highest-earning athlete among competitors at the 2026 Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics, according to a new survey.
U.S. business magazine Forbes reported Monday that Gu earned $23 million (approximately 33.77 billion won) over the past year, making her the top earner among Olympic athletes.
Born to an American father and Chinese mother, Gu rose to stardom in China after winning two gold medals in freestyle skiing at the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics.
She continues to maintain significant popularity, with her Instagram following exceeding 2.1 million.
U.S. outlet Yahoo Sports noted that Gu posted a video titled "My Daily Life" on social media in early January, which garnered over 1 million views in just about 10 days.
NHL player Auston Matthews of the United States ranked second with $20 million in annual earnings, followed by American "ski legend" Lindsey Vonn in third place with $8 million.
Korean American snowboarder Chloe Kim ranked fourth with annual earnings of $4 million. Kim is aiming to become the first snowboarder in Olympic history to win three consecutive gold medals at the upcoming Games.