US Olympic champion Alysa Liu defends Eileen Gu’s choice to compete for China

In a recent interview with The New York TimesLiu, who grew up in the Bay Area, offered firm support for her fellow athlete.

“I’ve known Eileen since I was 13 or something,” Liu said. “We’re from the Bay Area. She’s super nice, and her mom is from China.”

The relationship between the two athletes was recently highlighted when a 2018 video of them resurfaced and went viral on social media. The footage captures the teenagers sharing a carefree moment singing karaoke together at the Northern California Chinese Culture Athletic Federation.

Liu did not hold back when addressing the backlash Gu has faced from American critics. She pointed to Gu’s family ties as a valid reason for her sporting nationality switch and called the public shaming unfair.

“I think people are hypocritical for shaming her for representing China. So in my head it’s a bit hypocritical, because her mom is an immigrant. Y’all would have told her to go back to China. Now that they’re back in China, you’re mad,” Liu said.

She further emphasized that the passion for sports goes beyond geopolitical borders.

“And it’s sport, it doesn’t matter what country we represent,” Liu added. “Sport is sport, and she has a love for competition, she has love for the game. I think that’s all that matters. There’s no shame in going to where opportunity is.”

According to The Wall Street JournalGu and figure skater Beverly Zhu, another U.S.-born athlete, received $6.6 million from the Beijing Municipal Bureau for representing China at the recent Winter Games in Italy. The report also indicated that the duo earned a combined $14 million over the past three years from the same source, largely tied to their Olympic qualification.

Recently, Gu also took to Instagram to reflect on her choice to choose China over the U.S. She cited a desire to positively impact young athletes and elevate the profile of freestyle skiing in China.

Throughout this year’s Winter Olympics, she has faced heavy criticism. U.S. Vice President JD Vance publicly expressed his disappointment, stating his hope that American-born athletes would choose to compete for the U.S. In response, Gu stated she felt like a “punching bag for a certain strand of American politics,” attributing the backlash to anti-China sentiments and her success.

Both Liu and Gu, daughters of Chinese immigrants, have drawn comparisons on social media.

At 20 years old, Liu made history at the 2026 Milano-Cortina Games by becoming the first American to win Olympic gold in women’s singles figure skating since 2002.

Gu, 22, dominated the freeskiing events for China, securing one gold and two silver medals at the 2026 Games. This latest performance brought her total Olympic medal count to six, cementing her legacy as the most decorated freestyle skier in the sport’s history.