Alysa Liu and Eileen Gu Face Comparisons at Olympics

The two American-born athletes, one competing for the US and one for China, have drawn contrasting reactions.

Feb. 20, 2026 at 10:09pm

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U.S. figure skater Alysa Liu and Beijing-backed freestyle skier Eileen Gu found themselves in an uncomfortable spotlight after Liu's gold medal win, with critics drawing comparisons between the two American-born athletes who have chosen different national allegiances. While Liu's inspiring back story has made her a hero, Gu's decision to compete for China has drawn criticism, with some seeing it as a betrayal of the United States.

Why it matters

The contrasting reactions to Liu and Gu highlight the complex issues of national identity, geopolitics, and racial dynamics in sports. Their stories have become emblematic of the broader debates around athletes' choices of national representation and the public scrutiny they face, especially when it involves a U.S. rival like China.

The details

Alysa Liu, the daughter of a Chinese dissident, won the Olympic gold medal in women's figure skating, ending a 24-year drought for the U.S. Eileen Gu, who was born and raised in California, has competed for China in the last two Olympics, winning multiple medals. Gu's decision to represent China has drawn criticism from some U.S. politicians and conservatives, who have accused her of "betraying" the United States. Meanwhile, Liu's inspiring story has made her a hero, with the phrase "Be an Alysa Liu" becoming a rallying cry on social media.

  • Alysa Liu won the Olympic gold medal in women's figure skating on Thursday, February 16, 2026.
  • Eileen Gu has competed for China in the last two Olympics, winning multiple medals.

The players

Alysa Liu

A U.S. figure skater who won the Olympic gold medal in women's figure skating, ending a 24-year drought for the U.S. She is the daughter of a Chinese dissident who fled China due to his role in the Tiananmen Square protests.

Eileen Gu

A freestyle skier who was born and raised in California but has competed for China in the last two Olympics, winning multiple medals. Her decision to represent China has drawn criticism from some U.S. politicians and conservatives.

Michael Baumgartner

A Republican Congressman from Washington who drew comparisons between Liu and Gu without using words.

Christina Chin

A sociology professor at Cal State Fullerton who has published works on Asian Americans in sports and commented on the tendency to compare Liu and Gu.

Andy Ogles

A Republican Congressman from Tennessee who posted a picture of Gu with an Olympic medal and remarked that there must be consequences for those who "betray the United States and support our adversaries."

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What they’re saying

“We have two totally different sports. But yet there's a tendency that if there's two of them, then we must compare, we must make a racial comparison.”

— Christina Chin, Sociology Professor, Cal State Fullerton

“I'm going to root for American athletes and I think part of that is people who identify themselves as Americans. That's who I am rooting for.”

— JD Vance, Vice President

“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.”

— Eileen Gu

What’s next

Gu will have another chance to win medals on Saturday, competing in women's halfpipe skiing.

The takeaway

The contrasting reactions to Liu and Gu highlight the complex issues of national identity, geopolitics, and racial dynamics in sports. Their stories have become emblematic of the broader debates around athletes' choices of national representation and the public scrutiny they face, especially when it involves a U.S. rival like China.