Former U.S. Olympian Gus Kenworthy Switches to Great Britain's Winter Olympics Team

Kenworthy says competing for Britain is "more patriotic" than representing the U.S.

Jan. 30, 2026 at 4:39pm

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Gus Kenworthy, a 34-year-old British-American skier who won a silver medal for Team USA at the 2014 Sochi Olympics, has decided to compete for Great Britain's team at the upcoming 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan Cortina. Kenworthy tells PEOPLE that he feels his decision is "more patriotic" than continuing to represent the United States, citing the difficulty of making the highly competitive U.S. team and the fact that he is opening up a quota spot for another American athlete.

Why it matters

Kenworthy's decision to switch national teams is notable, as it highlights the complex issues of national identity and patriotism that some athletes face when choosing which country to represent. His comments also shed light on the intense competition to make the U.S. Olympic team in certain winter sports.

The details

Kenworthy, who was born in the UK but grew up in Colorado, first competed for the U.S. at the 2014 Sochi Olympics, where he won a silver medal in slopestyle. He began competing for Great Britain in 2019 and says he feels confident in his decision, noting that securing a spot on the U.S. team would have been "a nightmare" due to the intense competition. Kenworthy adds that by competing for Britain, he is "opening up a quota spot" for another American athlete to make the team.

  • Kenworthy began competing for Great Britain in 2019.
  • Kenworthy won a silver medal for Team USA at the 2014 Sochi Olympics.

The players

Gus Kenworthy

A 34-year-old British-American skier who won a silver medal for Team USA at the 2014 Sochi Olympics and is now competing for Great Britain's team at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan Cortina.

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What they’re saying

“I feel good about it, I mean, I do feel like I'm American, but I also do feel like I'm British, and that's where I was born and my mum's British.”

— Gus Kenworthy

“Making the team for the U.S. is a nightmare and those guys are like fighting dog-eat-dog for those four spots and ultimately it results in men not making the U.S. team that are world-class that could be on the podium that don't get to be there, and me also going for the U.S. is just another person that's fighting for those same four spots and another person that misses out.”

— Gus Kenworthy

“If anything, I almost feel like it's more patriotic I'm letting another American go.”

— Gus Kenworthy

What’s next

Kenworthy will compete for Great Britain at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan Cortina, which begin on February 6, 2026.

The takeaway

Kenworthy's decision to switch national teams highlights the complex issues of national identity and patriotism that some athletes face, as well as the intense competition to make the U.S. Olympic team in certain winter sports.