Olympic freeskier Eileen Gu has responded to criticism from US Vice-President JD Vance over her decision to represent China, saying she is 'flattered' by the attention. Vance suggested that American-born athletes should compete for the United States, but Gu, who was born in San Francisco, dismissed the comments as part of a broader political debate.
Speaking after a qualifying run on Thursday, Gu told USA Today: 'I’m flattered. Thanks, JD! That’s sweet.' She added that she was not offended and agreed that she had become a 'punching bag' for US political discourse. 'People only have a problem with me doing it because they kind of lump China into this monolithic entity, and they just hate China,' she said.
Gu, 22, is the most decorated female freeskier in Olympic history, with five medals including two golds and a silver at the 2022 Beijing Games. She has added two silvers at the Milano Cortina Games, with a halfpipe event still to come. She switched allegiance from the US to China in 2019, a move that has drawn persistent scrutiny.
Vance, who led the US delegation at the Olympics, told Fox News that athletes who benefited from American education and freedoms should represent the US. When asked about Gu specifically, he said he had 'no idea what her status should be' and deferred to the Olympic committee. Gu responded by noting that many athletes compete for different countries and that criticism of her stems from her success.
Gu has previously defended American freeskier Hunter Hess after Donald Trump called him a 'real Loser' for expressing ambivalence about representing the US. 'As someone who’s been caught in the crossfire before, I feel sorry for the athletes,' she said. She also told Time magazine that 'the US already has the representation' and that she prefers 'building my own pond.'
More than 15 American-born athletes have won medals for other countries at these Games, while at least 13 foreign-born athletes have medaled for the US. Gu remains focused on her sport, saying: 'I do what I do because I want to inspire the next generation of young women. I’ve had the same principle since I was literally prepubescent.'
