BY Rosemary
The two leading contenders for gold in women’s halfpipe skiing at the Winter Olympics share more than technical brilliance and medal credentials — both were born and raised in the United States. Yet only one of them finds her nationality a recurring topic of international debate.
Zoe Atkin competes for Britain with little public controversy. Eileen Gu represents China and remains at the center of persistent political and cultural scrutiny.
In the cosmopolitan world of freestyle skiing and snowboarding, switching or choosing national representation is hardly unusual. Athletes with dual nationality or strong family ties abroad frequently compete under different flags. But when Olympic medals, global rivalries and geopolitics converge — particularly involving China — such decisions can take on a charged dimension.
Gu, a 22-year-old native of California’s Bay Area, advanced comfortably through Thursday night’s qualifying round, positioning herself to contend for what could become her sixth Olympic medal and a third podium finish at these Games. With that success has come renewed attention to her choice to compete for her mother’s homeland rather than the United States.
“So many athletes compete for a different country,” Gu said after qualifying. “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.”
Her remarks followed comments earlier in the week by U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance, who suggested in a television interview that someone who benefitted from growing up in the United States might be expected to compete under its flag. The exchange reignited a debate that has trailed Gu since she first announced her allegiance to China ahead of the Beijing Games.
Gu has consistently said her decision was driven by a desire to expand freestyle skiing’s reach in China, particularly among young girls in a country where winter sports infrastructure historically lagged behind Western nations. She has also become a prominent figure beyond competition, splitting her time between athletic commitments and high-profile fashion appearances in global capitals.
Criticism, she suggested, is intertwined with visibility. “If I wasn’t doing well, I think they probably wouldn’t care as much,” she said. “And that’s OK for me.”
The Olympic charter requires athletes to be nationals of the country they represent. Dual nationals who switch allegiance are typically subject to a waiting period. Neither Gu nor Atkin has changed her national affiliation during her Olympic career, though Gu’s precise citizenship status has remained a topic of speculation. She has not publicly detailed the legal specifics of her nationality.
For many athletes in freestyle disciplines, national identity carries less weight outside the Olympic arena. The sport’s competitive calendar is dominated by global circuits such as the X Games and Dew Tour, where competitors train, travel and socialize together with minimal emphasis on flags or anthems.
“We’re all going to the same place, all traveling together,” said Nick Goepper, a three-time Olympic medalist for the United States. “There’s 25 guys who do this at a high level across the world and it’s better to hang out and mingle with each other.”
Atkin, 23, has navigated her own transatlantic identity with far less controversy. Born in Massachusetts to a British father, she has held dual citizenship since birth and has represented Britain throughout her career. Like Gu, she attends Stanford University, balancing elite athletics with academic commitments.
Atkin, the reigning world champion in halfpipe, said Britain’s smaller team structure has allowed her to train and compete at a pace suited to her development. “It also has a lot to do with my family,” she said. “I don’t really care what anybody else thinks. Obviously, we compete for our nation, but at the end of the day, this is an individual sport. I’m trying to put down my best run. That’s all it’s really about.”
Between the contrasting experiences of Gu and Atkin sits another example: Gus Kenworthy. Kenworthy first rose to prominence competing for the United States, winning silver in 2014, before later representing Britain to extend his Olympic career. He faced criticism when he switched, citing the extraordinary depth of the U.S. team as one factor in his decision.
In freestyle skiing, American depth can make Olympic qualification as competitive as the Games themselves. This year, the United States placed four men into the halfpipe final while leaving two other world top-10 athletes at home, including two-time gold medalist David Wise.
“You could be the fifth best person in America, ranked seventh in the world, and still not make the team,” Kenworthy said. “It’s great to have all these different countries represented. But sometimes it’s tough to be in that position.”
For Gu, however, the scrutiny extends beyond competitive mathematics. A recent report alleging that Chinese authorities provided substantial funding to support her and another athlete added to headlines during these Games. Gu has not emphasized financial considerations when discussing her decision, instead reiterating her goal of promoting the sport in China.
“I’ve never received criticism from anybody in the ski industry about any of these decisions,” she said in a recent interview. “But that’s because I’m friends with all of them.”
As she prepares for the final, Gu stands on the verge of another milestone. The addition of big air to the Olympic program four years ago created a third freestyle discipline, making it possible for athletes to contest three events per Games. No woman has swept medals in all three at consecutive Olympics — an achievement Gu now has within reach.
Yet even as athletic records beckon, the conversation around her often circles back to nationality and geopolitics. In the tightly knit world of action sports, where camaraderie often transcends borders, the Olympics remain a stage where identity is amplified.
“People are entitled to their opinions,” Gu said, a refrain she has repeated throughout her Olympic journey.
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