The 2026 Milan Cortina Winter Olympics have put a spotlight on two of the most compelling stories in women’s sports: American figure skater Alysa Liu and Chinese freeskier Eileen Gu. Both are Chinese American prodigies who have captivated global audiences, but their paths have placed them on rival teams, sparking significant discussion and comparison.
The conversation was renewed this week after Liu secured a historic gold medal in the women’s figure skating final on Thursday. The victory made Liu the first American woman to win an individual Olympic gold in figure skating in 24 years.
Following her win, Liu shared a celebratory image on Instagram holding her gold medal alongside the team gold she helped the U.S. secure earlier in the Games. “These are for y’all,” she wrote in the caption. Among the thousands of comments was a congratulatory one from Gu, who simply wrote, “YESSSSSS.”
The brief interaction highlights a long-running public dialogue comparing the two athletes’ divergent choices regarding national representation.
Divergent Paths from the Bay Area
Both athletes are the daughters of Chinese immigrants and were raised in the San Francisco Bay Area—Liu in Oakland and Gu across the bay in San Francisco. Their athletic trajectories took a decisive turn in 2019.
At the age of 15, Gu, a rising star in freeskiing, made the decision to switch her national affiliation from the United States to China. The move aligned with a Chinese government initiative to recruit foreign-born athletes of Chinese heritage to bolster its competitiveness, particularly for the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics.
Alysa Liu and her father, Arthur, reportedly chose a different course. According to reports, Arthur Liu was not receptive to approaches for his daughter to compete for China. Alysa remained committed to representing the United States.
This led to both athletes competing on different sides at the 2022 Beijing Games. Gu emerged as a global superstar, winning two gold medals and one silver in freeskiing. Liu finished sixth in women’s singles figure skating before taking a brief hiatus from the sport, returning in 2024.
Contrasting Results in Milan
In Italy, the narrative has shifted. Liu has reached the pinnacle of her sport, capturing two gold medals. Her performance in the individual free skate was a season-best, leading to an emotional and expletive-laced celebration that quickly went viral.
Gu, meanwhile, has secured two silver medals in her events so far. Her performance has been scrutinized, a fact she addressed in a press interaction earlier in the week. When asked if she viewed her silvers as “losses,” Gu responded, “I think is kind of a ridiculous perspective to take. I’m showcasing my best skiing. I’m doing things that quite literally have never been done before. So, I think that is more than good enough, but thank you.” She noted that she is the most decorated female freeskier in history.
Gu still has an opportunity to add a gold medal to her collection. She is set to compete in the women’s halfpipe final on Sunday, her strongest discipline, after recovering from a fall in the qualifying round to secure her spot.
Facing the Scrutiny
Gu has also been open about the unique pressures and criticism she faces due to her decision to compete for China. Following her competition on Thursday, she was asked if she felt like a “punching bag for a certain strand of American politics.”
“I do,” Gu responded. “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.” She added, “And also, because I win. Like, if I wasn’t doing well, I think that they probably wouldn’t care as much.”
As both athletes continue their Olympic journeys, their stories serve as a powerful and complex illustration of identity, patriotism, and the intensely personal decisions that define an athlete’s career on the world’s biggest stage.
