'Snow Princess' Eileen Gu continues to represent China at 2026 Winter Olympics, ignoring US again

Gu was born in San Francisco, California, on Sept. 3, 2003, to a Chinese mother and an American father. She is a product of American sports, with its well-structured training system and fiercely competitive environment. She won a gold and a silver medal at the 2019 Freestyle Skiing World Cup for the U.S. at the age of 15.

However, in 2022, Gu made a controversial but historic choice to switch from the U.S. to her mother's homeland, a move that catapulted her to global fame, Fox News reported.

Gu's performance at the 2022 Beijing Games was nothing short of sensational. She became the first action-sports athlete to win three medals at a single Olympics, claiming gold in big air and halfpipe events, and silver in slopestyle. Her dominance turned her into an icon in China, where she is affectionately known as the "Snow Princess."

Eileen Gu at the opening ceremony of the 2024 Paris Olympics, at the foot of the Eiffel Tower, France on July 26, 2024. Photo by Reuters

Last week, Gu told Time magazine that she will compete under the Chinese flag in Milano Cortina next month, reaffirming her commitment to the team she led to glory in Beijing four years ago.

Explaining her decision to stick with China for 2026, Gu emphasized that her motivation remains rooted in social impact rather than commercial gain or medals alone.

"The U.S. already has the representation," Gu told Time. "I like building my own pond."

She elaborated that before 2022, freestyle skiing was virtually unknown in China. By representing the national team, she believes she can continue to inspire millions of young people to take up winter sports, a goal she feels would be harder to achieve in the U.S., where the sport is already well-established.

The decision reignited debate and mixed opinions in the U.S., where some critics previously accused her of turning her back on the country in which she was born. A central point of contention remains her citizenship status. China does not recognize dual nationality, leading to persistent questions about whether Gu renounced her U.S. citizenship to compete.

Eileen Gu competes in the halfpipe event at the 2022 Winter Olympics at Genting Snow Park, Zhangjiakou City, Hebei, China, on Feb. 18, 2022. Photo by Reuters

When asked about this matter, Gu declined to clarify her legal status, stating that citizenship is not a factor directly related to sports or her decision to compete. According to Time, there is no evidence that Gu has renounced her U.S. citizenship.

"I don't really see how that's relevant," she added.

Regardless of the noise off the slopes, Gu’s form remains consistent. She enters the 2026 Olympic cycle as the top contender. Just last week, she won the Laax Open in Switzerland, securing her 20th career World Cup victory, an all-time record for freestyle skiing.