Eileen Gu feedback on Alysa Liu’s historic Olympic gold medal win

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American-born Group China skier Eileen Gu commented on Group USA determine skater Alysa Liu's historic gold medal within the ladies's free skate ultimate Thursday on the Milan Cortina Winter Olympics.

After Liu turned the primary American ladies's determine skater to win a person Olympic medal in 20 years and first to win a gold in 24 years, she made a celebratory Instagram publish.

"These are for y'all," Liu wrote within the caption of a photograph holding her gold medal and the U.S. crew gold.

ALYSA LIU VS EILEEN GU — HOW TWO CHINESE AMERICAN STARS WOUND UP ON OPPOSITE SIDES OF AN OLYMPIC PROXY WAR

Gold medalist Alysa Liu of the USA poses for a photograph in the course of the medal ceremony for girls's single skating at Milano Ice Skating Enviornment in the course of the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic Video games Feb. 19, 2026, in Milan, Italy. (Jamie Squire/Getty Photographs)

Gu commented on the publish, celebrating Liu's victory.

"YESSSSSS," Gu wrote within the remark part.

The 2 Chinese language American stars have been relentlessly in contrast and contrasted on social media this Olympics .

Each athletes are the kids of immigrants who got here to the U.S. from China. However many followers and critics have been fast to level out the distinction between Liu's story, a story of American loyalty by an immigrant's youngster, and Gu, who selected to compete for Group China when she was 15 years previous regardless of dwelling in California .

Arthur Liu raised Alysa and her siblings in Oakland. Yan Gu raised Eileen simply throughout the bay in San Francisco.

Their paths diverged in 2019.

The Chinese language authorities launched a program to recruit foreign-born athletes, primarily with Chinese language heritage, to spice up competitiveness, notably for the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics and soccer, based on The China Project .

Gu and Liu had been high recruiting targets.

Gu traded in her purple, white and blue for purple and gold. Simply months after competing in her first Freestyle Ski World Cup for the U.S. in January 2019, she competed for China for the primary time in June of that 12 months after requesting a change of nation with the Worldwide Ski Federation.

Silver medalist Eileen Gu of China attends the award ceremony for the freestyle snowboarding ladies's freeski massive air occasion on the Milan-Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Video games in Livigno, Italy, Feb. 16, 2026. (Hongxiang/Xinhua through Getty Photographs)

The Lius remained loyal to Group USA.

US OLYMPIAN ALYSA LIU WAS ONCE TARGETED BY CHINESE SPIES – HERE'S WHAT SHE HAS TO SAY ABOUT IT

Arthur was reportedly "not open to persuasion" to having Alysa compete for China, based on The Economist .

Each athletes competed on the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics, Gu representing China and Liu representing the U.S.

Gu received two gold medals and one silver in freeskiing and went residence to California as a brand new world family identify for her success.

Liu completed in sixth place in ladies's singles determine skating, then went into a brief early retirement, earlier than returning to the game in 2024.

However in 2026, Liu is the one one with any gold after serving to the U.S. win crew gold and her historic particular person gold on Thursday. Perhaps if Gu represented USA she would have received gold.

Liu landed all her jumps and smiled throughout the person ultimate earlier than erupting in a demonstrative celebration after she completed.

She yelled, "That is what I am f---ing speaking about!' and "Holy s---!" whereas celebrating along with her crew. She completed with a 226.79 whole rating, a 150.20 free skate rating and a 76.59 quick program rating. It was her season-best free skate rating.

OLYMPIANS SPEAK OUT IN DEFENSE OF EILEEN GU AMID CRITICISM FOR COMPETING FOR CHINA OVER US

However Gu has solely won two silvers to date in Italy.

An interplay Tuesday with a reporter went viral after Gu responded to a query about her successful two silver medals as an alternative of gold to date this Olympics, suggesting the query got here from a "ridiculous perspective."

"I’m essentially the most embellished feminine freeskier in historical past. I feel that’s a solution in and of itself," Gu mentioned when requested if she noticed her two medals as "silvers earned" or "golds misplaced."

"How do I say this? Successful a medal on the Olympics is a life-changing expertise for each athlete. Doing it 5 occasions is exponentially tougher as a result of each medal is equally onerous for me, however everyone else’s expectations rise, proper?

"The 2 medals misplaced scenario, to be fairly frank with you, I feel is type of a ridiculous perspective to take. I’m showcasing my greatest snowboarding. I’m doing issues that fairly actually have by no means been achieved earlier than. So, I feel that's greater than ok, however thanks."

Gu may have one final likelihood to win gold within the ladies's halfpipe ultimate, thought of her strongest occasion, Sunday. The occasion will happen a day after it was initially scheduled on account of intense snow within the space.

Gu almost misplaced out on any likelihood at a gold medal after falling within the halfpipe qualifier on Thursday. However she recovered in her second run to earn a spot within the ultimate.

Learn Extra About The 2026 Winter Olympics

Gu has needed to compete underneath the strain of immense world scrutiny in response to her resolution to compete for China seven years in the past.

Gu was requested if she feels "like a bit of a punching bag for a sure strand of American politics" after her competitors on Thursday.

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Silver medalist Eileen Gu of China poses for images after the award ceremony for the freestyle snowboarding ladies's freeski massive air occasion on the Milan-Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Video games in Livigno, Italy, Feb. 16, 2026. (Wang Peng/Xinhua through Getty Photographs)

"I do," she mentioned, based on USA Right now. "So many athletes compete for a distinct nation. ... Individuals solely have an issue with me doing it as a result of they type of lump China into this monolithic entity, and so they simply hate China . So, it is not likely about what they suppose it is about.

"And likewise, as a result of I win. Like, if I wasn't doing properly, I feel that they most likely would not care as a lot, and that is OK for me. Individuals are entitled to their opinions."

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Jackson Thompson is a sports activities reporter for Fox Information Digital protecting crucial political and cultural points in sports activities, with an investigative lens. Jackson's reporting has been cited in federal authorities actions associated to the enforcement of Title IX, and in legacy media retailers together with The New York Instances, The Los Angeles Instances, The Philadelphia Inquirer, The Related Press and ESPN.com.