Silver medalist Eileen Gu of China on the podium after the women’s freestyle skiing slopestyle finals at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Livigno, Italy.Fabrizio Troccoli/The Globe and Mail
Sheer physical talent does not solely define Olympic heroes. The ‘star’ formula is also a blend of resolve in the face of setbacks, emotional control, charm, an absorbing backstory, sponsorship success, brand-name recognition, language eloquence, and – yes – glamour and good looks.
At Milan Cortina, a few athletes check many or most of the boxes, none more so than Eileen Gu, the American-Chinese superstar freestyle skier who made her Milan Cortina Olympic debut on Monday. By then, fever for Lindsey Vonn, who…