Eileen Gu (Coc Ai Lang) spent most of her time addressing criticism from the United States rather than discussing her performance after the women's halfpipe qualifier at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Livigno, Italy. The athlete, born in the US but representing China, finished fifth in the qualifier despite being the top seed.

When asked if she felt like a punching bag in the US political debate, Gu replied, "Yes. Many athletes compete for another country. But people only have a problem with me because they lump China together, and they simply hate China."

Her remarks followed US vice president JD Vance's statement on Fox News, where he expressed hope that individuals raised in the US would choose to compete for the country. Gu, however, did not feel offended. "I feel complimented, actually. Thank you, JD. How sweet", she said with a knowing smile. Gu also believes her success fuels the controversy. "And also because I win", she stated. "If I didn't perform well, perhaps they wouldn't care as much, and that's fine with me. Everyone is entitled to their own opinion."

Gu is the most prominent face of the Chinese sports delegation at the 2026 Winter Olympics. At the Beijing 2022 Olympics, she secured two golds and one silver for the host nation across three events: big air, slopestyle, and halfpipe.

During the women's halfpipe qualifier on the evening of 19/2 in Livigno, Gu fell during her first run amid snowy conditions. Facing potential elimination, she successfully executed her second run, scoring 86.50 points, securing fifth place and a spot in the final on 21/2. While considered a medal contender, defending her title will be challenging.

Discussing her demanding schedule, Gu noted she is the only one in her group still competing. "That means I've just experienced two weeks with the biggest adrenaline rushes and the lowest lows of my life, while everyone else is fresh", she shared. Gu emphasized that she willingly chose this challenge by registering for three events at the 2026 Olympics. "This is my own bet on myself, so I'm not complaining", the Chinese representative added. "I'm just painting a realistic picture of the difficulties I'm experiencing that others might not have."

The halfpipe qualifier itself featured similar cases. British athlete Zoe Atkin, who leads with 91.50 points, was born and raised in Massachusetts. This illustrates that athletes competing for a country different from their birthplace is common in elite sports, including within the US.

Addressing personal safety, Gu disclosed an incident from last year in the US, where she was attacked at university. "Not by a Stanford student, but by someone who came and attacked me in broad daylight", she recounted. "Our dormitory was also robbed. It was quite serious."

Gu will compete in the halfpipe final on the evening of 21/2, the penultimate day of the 2026 Olympics.

Eileen Gu at the women's halfpipe qualifier, Winter Olympics in Livigno Snow Park, Valtellina valley, Lombardy, Italy on the evening of 19/2. Photo: AP

Eileen Gu at the women's halfpipe qualifier, Winter Olympics in Livigno Snow Park, Valtellina valley, Lombardy, Italy on the evening of 19/2. Photo: AP

Xuan Binh (via USA Today)