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Two-time Olympic gold medalist and freestyle skiing star Eileen Gu will once again compete for China instead of the United States at next month’s Winter Olympics, insisting that the United States “already has representation” despite previous backlash over her decision.
Gu, who was born in California, faced criticism in 2022 for her decision to represent China at the Beijing Olympics, where she won gold in women’s freeski big air and halfpipe and silver in women’s freeskilopestyle.
Eileen Gu of China celebrates winning the final World Cup freeski slopestyle race at the Laax Open on January 17, 2026, in Laax, Switzerland. (Andreas Becker/Keystone via AP)
In an interview with Time magazine, Gu said his decision was based more on his ability to inspire participation in the sport, which was not traditionally popular in China.
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“The United States already has representation,” Gu said. “I like to build my own pond.”
Time also noted in the interview that “[Gu] He insists that the possibility of earning more by representing Chinese companies did not cross his mind. “I’m glad there’s enough money in sport now for people to think it’s a consideration,” he says.
Gu, whose mother is Chinese, grew up in San Francisco, but before the 2022 Winter Games he said he estimates he has spent at least a quarter of his life in China.
Eileen Gu of China competes during the final freeski slopestyle race at the World Cup at the Laax Open in Laax, Switzerland, on January 17, 2026. (Andreas Becker/Keystone via AP)
US-BORN OLYMPIC FREESKIER EILEEN GU DODGES QUESTIONS ABOUT CITIZENSHIP AFTER WINNING GOLD FOR CHINA
Questions about her citizenship status were a major point of contention during her previous Olympic participation because the Chinese government does not allow dual citizenship, meaning the California native would have had to renounce her U.S. citizenship to do so.
At that time he dodged several questions about whether he enjoyed his American citizenship. Time noted that Gu “decreases[d] address the question of citizenship,” and that there was no evidence to suggest that he had renounced his citizenship.
“I don’t really see how that’s relevant,” he said.
Gold medalist Eileen Gu of Team China celebrates during the women’s freeski halfpipe flower ceremony at the Beijing 2022 Olympic Winter Games at Genting Snow Park in Zhangjiakou, China, Feb. 18, 2022. (Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)
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Gu, 22, arrives in Italy as the big favorite to defend her titles. He earned his record-extending 20th career World Cup victory and fourth slopestyle victory with a win at the Laax Open in Switzerland last week.
