- US Supreme Court to hear 'ghost guns' regulation case
- 'Small' oil leaks detected in Samoa after NZ navy shipwreck
- Nobel literature jury may go for non-Western writer
- At Istanbul church, blessed spring offers hope to Christians and Muslims
- From Bolivia to Indonesia, deforestation continues apace
- Myanmar to send rep to regional summit for first time in three years
- Prabowo set to lead bolder Indonesia on world stage
- Tampa zoo rushes Chompers the porcupine and others to safety as Milton nears
- Shanghai stocks pare early surge on stimulus worries amid Asia retreat
- New Japan PM to hold talks on ASEAN sidelines
- Record number of climbers chase 14-peak dream in Tibet
- Former South Korea clinic for US 'comfort women' to be demolished
- China holds off on fresh stimulus but 'confident' will hit growth target
- Chiefs battle past Saints to stay unbeaten
- Deal on climate aid hangs in balance at UN COP29 summit
- Royals hit back against Yankees, Tigers maul Guardians
- German suspect in 'Maddie' case faces verdict in sex crimes trial
- Top economic official 'confident' China will hit 2024 growth target
- COP29 fight looms over climate funds for developing world
- Shanghai stocks soar to extend stimulus rally amid Asia-wide drop
- Australia moves to expand Antarctic marine park
- Tragedy of Madrid street sweeper highlights how heatwaves kill
- Survivors wait for aid as Trump's lies help cloud Helene response
- Fleeing Israeli bombs, Lebanon's displaced met with suspicion
- Jila Mossaed, from refugee poet to Swedish Academy
- Will Tesla's robotaxi reveal live up to hype?
- Drugs, people smuggling at heart of Mexico's raging violence
- 'Invisibility' and quantum computing tipped for physics Nobel
- Musk says he is 'all in' on Trump in US election
- Category 5 Hurricane Milton roars towards storm-battered Florida
- Carpenter bomb stuns Guardians as Tigers level series
- Harris, Trump and Biden mark Oct. 7 attacks as US election looms
- Oil prices extend gains on Mideast tensions, Wall Street falls
- US judge orders Google to open Android to rival app stores
- On attacks anniversary, Israel fights 'sacred' multi-front war
- Nobel scientist uncovered tiny genetic switches with big potential
- Grammy-winning Cissy Houston, mother of Whitney, dies at 91
- UN biodiversity summit in Colombia aims to turn words into action
- Georgia Supreme Court reinstates six-week abortion ban
- 'Dark day': Victims mourned around the globe on Oct. 7 anniversary
- On attacks anniversary, Israel fights multi-front war
- Mexican mayor murdered days after taking office
- Intensifying to Category 5, Hurricane Milton targets Florida
- Mission to probe smashed asteroid launches despite hurricane
- Biden, Harris mark Oct. 7 with call for Mideast peace
- Dupont set for Toulouse return after post-Olympic holiday
- French rugby bosses tighten discipline after nightmare Argentina tour
- Oil prices extend gains on Mideast tensions, Wall Street slips
- Visitors to get rare view of Rome's Trevi Fountain
- Europe's asteroid mission Hera launches despite hurricane
BCC | 1.68% | 141.27 | $ | |
JRI | -0.76% | 13.18 | $ | |
SCS | -0.15% | 12.95 | $ | |
BCE | -0.54% | 33.53 | $ | |
CMSC | -0.53% | 24.57 | $ | |
NGG | -1.56% | 65.48 | $ | |
RIO | -0.11% | 69.62 | $ | |
AZN | -0.78% | 76.87 | $ | |
CMSD | -0.09% | 24.79 | $ | |
GSK | -0.49% | 38.63 | $ | |
RBGPF | 100% | 60.52 | $ | |
RYCEF | -0.15% | 6.87 | $ | |
RELX | -0.54% | 46.04 | $ | |
VOD | 0.31% | 9.69 | $ | |
BTI | -0.26% | 35.2 | $ | |
BP | 0.78% | 33.14 | $ |
'What's the big deal?': Gu braces for granny's shrug at Beijing Olympics
Eileen Gu has become the face of the Beijing Olympics but she thinks her grandmother will be "unfazed and unimpressed" by the attention when she watches her Californian-born granddaughter compete for China on Friday.
Gu effortlessly topped freeski halfpipe qualification on Thursday and will compete in the final in front of her Chinese grandmother for the first time as she chases her third medal of the Games.
The 18-year-old, who in 2019 switched from representing the US to China, has already won one gold and one silver in Beijing and has become one of the biggest stars of the Games.
But she said her grandmother is unlikely to be moved by the massive attention and would probably be asking "what's the big deal?"
"She's tiny but she's so energetic, so happy all the time, the most positive force," Gu told reporters during one of her many interviews on Thursday.
"She'll want me to win for sure -- she's very competitive. More than anything, she'll be like 'why's everyone crowded around you? What's the big deal?'"
Gu said her grandmother has never watched her ski and "still hasn't accepted that I'm a professional skier".
But she said she will be "super honoured" to compete in front of her on Friday after booking her place in the final with a dominant performance in qualifying.
Gu set the standard with a first-run score of 93.75 before bettering it with 95.50 on her second attempt.
She said landing her first run was "a change", adding that her coaches thanked her for taking care of business with the minimum of fuss.
Canada's Rachael Karker finished second on 89.50, while Estonia's Kelly Sildaru was third on 87.50.
Gu said her distinctive pre-run routine of standing sideways with her hands on her hips as she takes a deep breath has helped her find peace amid the Olympic noise.
"I know people have been complaining about my drop-in routine taking a long time, but I do my visualisation and then I'll kind of just take a deep breath and take it all in," she said.
"I'm at the Olympics -- this is the dream. No matter what happens, this is the dream."
Competing in three events means Gu has had little time to relax, and she said she was hoping to "sleep well" before Friday's final.
Before then, she said she planned to eat, go to the gym, go for a run, write in her journal, play the piano, have a bath and talk to her best friend on the phone before going to bed.
Gu described herself as being "naturally pretty introverted" and said she can focus on her competitions when the time comes.
"I'm in my own world," she said.
"When I'm in my zone actually doing my thing, I don't hear anything, I don't see anything. I'm just doing what I'm doing."
Ch.Kahalev--AMWN