SCMP: Winter Olympics: Eileen Gu thrills online fans by eating dumplings upon arriving in Beijing, ‘finished eating all of them’ 南華早報：冬奧會：谷爱凌一到北京就吃餃子，“吃完了”
The 18-year-old Chinese freestyle skier and part-time model is a hot favourite for gold medals at the Winter Games.
Weibo fans welcomed ‘Ailing’ to China and wished her well, saying ‘this is your home forever’.
China’s freestyle skiing superstar Eileen Gu was given a rousing online welcome by mainland fans after she arrived in Beijing for the Winter Olympics and headed straight for the nearest dumpling restaurant.
The 18-year-old San Francisco native posted a picture of her eating dumplings in Beijing soon after her arrival on her Sina Weibo account, with Gu writing in Chinese: “Beijing dumplings, finished eating all of them.”
The part-time model and gold medal favourite for Beijing 2022 has an American father and Chinese mother and two years ago, decided to represent China at the Winter Games.
Her post on the Twitter-like platform garnered around 2,000 likes by Wednesday early afternoon, with fans thrilled to see her in Beijing. All athletes at the Winter Games are unable to interact with fans physically because of the “closed loop” anti-coronavirus security system implemented to seal the Olympic family from the outside world.
“Let’s try roast duck after the Winter Olympics,” wrote one user. “It’s delicious Ailing,” wrote another, using Gu’s name in Chinese. “Welcome home, this is your home forever.”
Another fan hoped she was eating well, writing: “Ailing must eat well and we look forward to your performance in the Winter Olympics.”
Gu’s sporting prowess, fluent Mandarin, and recent brand endorsements for a wide range of Chinese companies, from tech giant JD.com to dairy producer China Mengniu Dairy, have turned her into a fan favourite in China.
Advertisements starring Gu, who is also a highly sought-after model, have visibly increased at bus stops and subway stations all over Beijing in the run up to the Olympics.
Johnson Choi Biz 