Olympic Skiing Stars Born in US Face Different Reception Competing for Other Nations

Two top women's halfpipe skiing medal contenders at the Winter Olympics were both born in America but represent different countries. While Zoe Atkin faces little criticism competing for Britain, Eileen Gu draws intense scrutiny for representing China.

LIVIGNO, Italy — Two American-born athletes stand as the leading contenders for Olympic gold in women’s halfpipe skiing, yet neither will be wearing red, white and blue when they compete.

Zoe Atkin represents Great Britain with minimal public attention, while Eileen Gu faces constant criticism for skiing under China’s flag.

Athletes switching national allegiances isn’t uncommon in international competition. But when Olympic medals are at stake and a high-profile competitor like Gu achieves remarkable success, the situation becomes controversial and politically charged.

“So many athletes compete for a different country,” Gu commented following Thursday evening’s qualifying round that positioned her for a potential third medal at these Games. “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 came after U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance stated on Fox News earlier this week that he hoped someone who benefited from an American upbringing would choose to represent the United States.

The 22-year-old California Bay Area native acknowledges she faces harsh criticism not only for representing her mother’s country of origin but also due to her achievements both in competition and commercial endeavors.

Following the Olympics, Gu plans to attend a Milan fashion event.

But first, Saturday brings her opportunity to claim a sixth Olympic medal and potentially achieve a perfect record across two consecutive Games. No athlete has accomplished this feat since big air joined the program four years ago, creating three aerial freestyle skiing disciplines in the snow park.

“Like, if I wasn’t doing well, I think that they probably wouldn’t care as much, and that’s OK for me,” she explained.

Olympic regulations require athletes to be “nationals” of their competing country — terminology similar to citizenship but with distinct legal implications. Athletes holding multiple nationalities must complete a waiting period to switch allegiances, though neither Gu nor Atkin has changed during their Olympic careers.

This situation reflects the nature of freeskiing and snowboarding — lifestyle sports emphasizing personal expression, developed through events like X Games and Dew Tours where national flags rarely appear. Athletes spend most of their time traveling internationally with little focus on countries or national anthems.

“We’re all going to the same place, all traveling together,” explained Nick Goepper, a three-time American medalist competing for his birth country. “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, just like people do.”

Beyond Vance’s statements, recent news reports about a 2025 document indicating the Chinese government provided millions in funding to Gu and another athlete have generated Olympic headlines. Gu rarely discusses financial motivations, instead emphasizing her goal to promote the sport and encourage female participation in China, where the discipline was less established than in America.

“I’ve never received criticism from anybody in the ski industry about any of these decisions,” she told The Associated Press last month. “But that’s because I’m friends with all of them.”

Atkin experiences success without similar controversies. The Massachusetts-born athlete has maintained dual citizenship from birth, with her father being British. (Gu’s citizenship remains a subject of ongoing speculation, which she hasn’t publicly clarified.) Like Gu, Atkin studies at Stanford University.

The 23-year-old world champion has represented Britain throughout her career, explaining that the smaller team structure allows her to train and compete at her preferred pace.

“It also has a lot to do with my family and I guess I don’t really care what anybody else thinks,” she stated. “Obviously, we compete for our nation, but at the end of the day, this is an individual sport and I’m trying to do my best show and my best skiing. To me, that’s all it’s really about.”

Gus Kenworthy represents a middle ground between Gu and Atkin — initially gaining Olympic fame representing America before continuing his career with Britain.

He encountered criticism when switching teams, partly due to the competitive depth of the U.S. squad. This year, America qualified all four male halfpipe skiers for Friday’s final while leaving two top-10 ranked athletes, including two-time gold and silver medalist David Wise, off the team.

“You could be the fifth best person in America, ranked seventh in the world, and still not make the team,” noted Kenworthy, who earned silver in 2014. “It’s great to have all these different countries represented. But sometimes it sucks to be in that position, and I’ve been in that position.”

The dynamics shift dramatically when action sports enter the Olympic spotlight.

As Gu consistently states and reiterated Thursday, “people are entitled to their opinions.”