TE24 International Desk:
Eileen Gu won another title, this time as Best Breakthrough Athlete at the ESPYs 2022, and made her presence felt on both sides of the globe with an acceptance speech that ended in Chinese.
The Winter Olympics were honored alongside sports celebrities at a ceremony in Los Angeles on Wednesday night (US time) and shared the opportunity with her grandmother.
After presenting the award, Gu thanked “all the women” who had gone before her and dedicated those who followed her. Finally, after thanking his mother and grandmother, he spoke in Chinese, “Finally, I want to thank those who support me. Let’s add oil together.”
In Stephen Curry’s glittering ceremony, Golden State Warriors point guard Gu was lauded for his performance for China in the Beijing tournament earlier this year.
His 18-year-old athlete has won three Olympic medals, including a gold medal in freeski big air and a freeski halfpipe, and a silver medal in slopestyle.
Weibo users loved the show’s use of Chinese, which aired on ABC and ESPN, with many congratulating and posting a photo with her grandmother.
Not everyone was impressed, and some Twitter users questioned why ESPN praised athletes who “want to compete with China more than the United States.”
Another commenter said, “If you don’t know who he is, you’re being honest.” Meanwhile, some wanted to know why Za Morant, who plays for the NBA’s Memphis Grizzlies, didn’t win. Many supported it
Gou, and many noted that he was “the first and only action athlete to win three medals in the same Olympics.” Many support it
