13mean that Gu supports Beijing’s crackdown
in Xinjiang, which has led several nations,
including the U.S., to stage a diplomatic boy-
cott of the Games? “I don’t know,” says Gal-
lagher, “but her decision seems tone-deaf
given the global condemnation of China’s
policies.”
Some experts say that it was never going
to be possible to avoid politics at the Olym-
pics, given the state of relations between
the two global powers. Washington and Bei-
jing are at loggerheads over everything from
trade and technology to maritime navigation
and the status of Taiwan.
Gu has tried her best to straddle the geo-
political divide. “I grew up spending 25%
to 30% of my time in China,” she said on
Feb. 8, when asked by reporters if she had
renounced her U.S. passport. “I’m American
when I’m in the U.S. and Chinese when I’m
in China.” But her eff orts have done little to
tamp down the controversy.
“Gu is being caught in the wider politi-
cal cross fi re between the U.S. and China
in ways that other athletes are not,” says
Jules Boykoff , a sports and politics expert
at Pacifi c University. “Her decision to com-
pete for China has thrust her into a political
fi restorm.”POLITICSEileen Gu skis into
a global standoff
BY AMY GUNIACOMPETING FOR CHINA ON FEB. 8, THE
U.S.-born freestyle skier Eileen Gu landed
a spectacular left double-1620 with safety
grab on her fi nal run to win gold. She’d
never pulled off the daring trick in competi-
tion before—much less in front of a global
audience—and it instantly made her one of
the Games’ biggest stars.
Excitement was so great over Gu’s fi rst
medal that chatter about it temporarily
crashed the internet in China, where the
18-year-old has been nicknamed Snow Prin-
cess and has graced local editions of Harper’s
Bazaar and Vogue.
Not everyone is cheering her on, however.
Born to a U.S. father and a Chinese mother,
Gu spent a few seasons competing at major
events for the U.S., where she was raised and
still lives. But in 2019, at age 15, she decided
that she would change national affi liation
and compete for China in 2022. That switch
has prompted critics in the U.S. to call her an
opportunist—even a traitor.
Mary Gallagher, a professor of political
science at the University of Michigan, says
that the backlash against Gu was to be ex-
pected. “When an athlete chooses a nation-
ality, then there’s more focus on the choice
and, in this case, on her timing.” Does it‘I’m American when
I’m in the U.S. and Chinese
when I’m in China.’
—EILEEN GUTeam China freestyle skier Gu fl ies the fl ag after medaling on Feb. 15HIGHS AND LOWSSPEEDSKATING
Erin Jackson became
the fi rst Black woman the fi rst Black woman
to win a solo Olympic to win a solo Olympic
speedskating medal speedskating medal
and fi rst U.S. woman and fi rst U.S. woman
to win speed to win speed skating skating
gold since 1994. “Cried gold since 1994. “Cried
so much that I put on so much that I put on
my medal backward,” my medal backward,”
she tweeted. she tweeted.BOBSLED
Team USA made
history in the inaugural history in the inaugural
Olympic monobobOlympic monobob
event, with event, with Kaillie Kaillie
HumphriesHumphries and and
Elana Meyers TaylorElana Meyers Taylor
the fi rst women to the fi rst women to
win gold and silver, win gold and silver,
respectively. Christine respectively. Christine
de Bruin of Canada de Bruin of Canada
took bronze.took bronze.OLDER ATHLETES
Aging athletes are
having a moment. Per having a moment. Per
an NPR tally, there an NPR tally, there
are 140 Olympians are 140 Olympians
in Beijing over the in Beijing over the
age of 35. Many, like age of 35. Many, like
France’s silver medalist France’s silver medalist
Johan Clarey,Johan Clarey, 41, 41,
are standing on are standing on
the podium too. the podium too.FREESTYLE SKIING
With a trick in which he
stopped his rotation stopped his rotation
midair and changed midair and changed
direction, freestyle direction, freestyle
skier skier Alex Hall Alex Hall led the led the
U.S. to a 1-2 fi nish. The U.S. to a 1-2 fi nish. The
country has won six of country has won six of
nine medals in the men’s nine medals in the men’s
event since its debut. event since its debut.
CHEN: HARRY HOW—GETTY IMAGES; GU: TIM CLAYTON—CORBIS/GETTY IMAGES; GETTY IMAGES (5)