Alysa Liu Surpasses Eileen Gu in Instagram Followers After Winter Olympics Gold

Team USA figure skater's social media following skyrockets after historic Olympic victory.

Published on Feb. 24, 2026

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Alysa Liu, the 18-year-old figure skater who won Team USA's first individual Olympic gold in women's figure skating in 24 years, has surpassed fellow Chinese-American Winter Olympian Eileen Gu in Instagram followers. Liu's following has grown to 5.3 million, far outpacing Gu's 3.7 million, as Liu's star power has risen dramatically following her triumph in Beijing.

Why it matters

The rapid growth of Liu's social media following highlights her emergence as a global sports superstar and one of the most popular athletes to come out of the 2022 Winter Olympics. While Gu, who won three medals for China, has also seen a significant boost in her profile, Liu's success in representing the United States has resonated more strongly with American audiences, particularly conservative fans.

The details

Prior to the Olympics, Liu had less than 300,000 Instagram followers, but her gold medal-winning performance propelled her to worldwide fame. In contrast, Gu, who was born and raised in the U.S. but chose to compete for China, saw her following grow from 2.1 million to 3.7 million. The two Chinese-American athletes have been heavily compared, with Liu's story of American loyalty contrasting with Gu's decision to compete for China.

  • Alysa Liu won the Olympic gold medal in women's figure skating on February 17, 2026.
  • Liu reached 5.3 million Instagram followers on February 24, 2026, just one week after her Olympic triumph.

The players

Alysa Liu

An 18-year-old figure skater who won the first individual Olympic gold medal for the United States in women's figure skating in 24 years.

Eileen Gu

A Chinese-American freestyle skier who won three medals, including two golds, for China at the 2022 Beijing Olympics.

Arthur Liu

Alysa Liu's father, who raised her and her siblings in Oakland and was reportedly "not open to persuasion" about having Alysa compete for China.

Yan Gu

Eileen Gu's mother, who raised her in San Francisco.

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What they’re saying

“YESSSSSS”

— Eileen Gu (Instagram)

“You know what I mean? It's so … unbelievable. You know what I mean like, that's crazy. Like, imagine finding that out at such a young age, I mean, like In a weird way, I was like, 'Am I like in some prank show?' Like, is this world real. Like, I must be some movie character. But, I mean, it was like it made sense to me, you know, from like everything my dad did back in his activist days.”

— Alysa Liu (Fox News Digital)

“I do. 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, and that's OK for me. People are entitled to their opinions.”

— Eileen Gu (USA Today)

What’s next

The Chinese government's program to recruit foreign-born athletes, particularly those with Chinese heritage, to boost competitiveness ahead of the 2022 Beijing Olympics continues to be a topic of discussion and controversy.

The takeaway

Alysa Liu's Olympic gold medal triumph and meteoric rise in social media popularity highlights the power of representing one's home country and the enduring appeal of American athletes, even among those with diverse cultural backgrounds. Her story provides a stark contrast to that of Eileen Gu, whose decision to compete for China has drawn criticism from some American audiences.