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Double Olympic gold medalist and freestyle skiing star Eileen Gu will once again compete for China rather than the United States at next month’s Winter Olympics, insisting the United States “already has the representation” despite backlash over their 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 freeski slopestyle.
China’s Eileen Gu celebrates her victory in the final round of freeski slopestyle during the World Cup at 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 has not traditionally been 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] insists the potential to earn more representing Chinese companies hasn’t crossed his mind. “I’m glad there’s enough money in the sport now that people think it’s a consideration,” she says.
Gu, whose mother is Chinese, grew up in San Francisco, but she said before the 2022 Winter Games that she estimated she had spent at least a quarter of her life in China.
China’s Eileen Gu competes in the final round of freeski slopestyle during the World Cup at the Laax Open in Laax, Switzerland, January 17, 2026. (Andreas Becker/Keystone via AP)
US-BORN OLYMPIC SKIER EILEEN GU AVOID QUESTIONS ABOUT CITIZENSHIP AFTER WINING GOLD FOR CHINA
Questions about her citizenship status were a major point of contention during her previous Olympics appearance, as the Chinese government does not allow dual citizenship, meaning the California native would have had to renounce her U.S. citizenship to do so.
She then dodged several questions about whether she valued her American citizenship. Time noted that Gu “is declining[d] to engage on the issue of citizenship,” and that there was no evidence to suggest she had renounced her citizenship.
“I don’t really see how that’s relevant,” she said.
Gold medalist Eileen Gu of Team China celebrates during the flower ceremony of the women’s freeski halfpipe at the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics at the Genting Snow Park in Zhangjiakou, China, 18 February 2022. (Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)
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Gu, 22, enters Italy as the big favorite to defend her titles. She earned her 20th career World Cup victory and fourth in Slopestyle with victory at the Laax Open in Switzerland last week.
