Meet Eileen Gu, 22-year-old Winter Olympian who earns $23 million a year, but just $100,000 from her sport

Eileen Gu has emerged as one of the highest-earning female athletes in the world, ranking just behind top tennis icons in Forbes’ 2025 list. Despite competing in a niche sport, the Olympic freestyle skier has $23.1 million, with almost all of it coming from endorsements rather than competition winnings. Her success features a broader shift in women’s sports, where visibility and marketability often outweigh on-field earnings.