Olympic freeskier Eileen Gu has responded to US Vice-President JD Vance after he appeared to criticise her decision to represent China instead of the United States. 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 and two silvers at the Milano Cortina Games.
In an interview with Fox News on Tuesday, Vance suggested that American-born athletes should compete for the US. 'I certainly think that somebody who grew up in the United States of America, who benefited from our education system, from the freedoms and liberties that make this country a great place, I would hope that they want to compete with the United States of America,' he said. When asked about Gu specifically, Vance said he had 'no idea what her status should be' and that it was 'up to the Olympic committee'.
Gu, who was born in San Francisco and switched allegiance to China in 2019, responded after a qualifying run on Thursday. 'I'm flattered. Thanks, JD! That's sweet,' she said, according to USA Today. She added that she was not offended and agreed that she had become a 'punching bag' for US political debate. 'So many athletes compete for a different country. … People only have a problem with me doing it because they kind of lump China into this monolithic entity, and they just hate China. So it's not really about what they think it's about. And also, because I win. Like if I wasn't doing well, I think that they probably wouldn't care as much,' she said.
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. Gu has also stated that she competes to inspire young women, a principle she has held since age ten. 'I can't convince you. I have all the evidence. If you just close your eyes, what am I going to do about that? So I'm not bothered by it … I just wish that people would adopt the Olympic spirit more,' she said.
