Olympic freeskier Eileen Gu has responded to comments made by US Vice-President JD Vance, who 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 Vance's comments after a qualifying run on Thursday, Gu said: 'I'm flattered. Thanks, JD! That's sweet.' She added that she was not offended and agreed with a suggestion 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,' she said.
Gu, born in San Francisco to an American father and a Chinese mother, switched to compete for China in 2019. She has declined to publicly share her citizenship status, and China does not permit dual citizenship. The Olympic charter allows athletes with dual nationality to represent either country.
More than 15 American-born athletes have won medals at these Games competing for other countries, while at least 13 foreign-born athletes have medaled for Team USA. Gu is a favourite to medal again in the halfpipe event on Saturday.
