How Eileen Gu Won Gold in Big Air With Two Giant Jumps

BEIJING — Eileen Gu won the women’s freeski big air competition on Tuesday after landing her biggest and highest scoring trick in her final run: a left double 1620 with a safety grab. The move, which involves four and a half revolutions in the air, was one she had never tried before in competition.

Gu, who was born in the United States but is competing for China in the Winter Games, won with gravity-defying tricks on two of her three runs, which together lifted her into the lead over the silver medalist, Tess Ledeux of France. The competition combines the best two scores of three jumps for a final total. The highest total wins.

For her first run, Gu performed a right double 1440, which has…