The 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan-Cortina have generated widespread attention not only from the competitions themselves but also regarding the “life paths” of two rising athletes of Chinese-American heritage.
Alisa Liu and Eileen Gu.
Both grew up in California but chose to represent different nations at the Olympics. This choice has turned their stories into a heated topic in U.S. media and online discussions worldwide.
Alisa Liu: The U.S. Team Hero.
Alisa Liu's story is often told from the perspective of loyalty to the country that gave her opportunities and to her family.
- Alisa recently made history by winning the gold medal in women's singles figure skating for the U.S. team at the 2026 Olympics. This marked the first U.S. gold in this event in 24 years, since Sarah Hughes achieved it in 2002. She also helped secure another team gold medal.
- Her story gained further attention because back in 1989, her father, Arthur Liu, fled China as a political refugee following the Tiananmen Square massacre and settled in the United States.
The Tiananmen Square protests, also known as the Tiananmen Square massacre, was a pivotal moment that changed Arthur's life and history itself. Hundreds of students and Chinese citizens in Beijing were killed by the military during protests against the Communist government.
Later, Arthur was summoned to report to the Communist Party Youth League office in China to explain his involvement in that day's events.
“I refused to give the names of other students involved in organizing the protest... I take full responsibility for everything that happened because I was once elected president of the student union at Guangzhou University,” Arthur Liu told USA Today.
He had to secretly board a boat to Hong Kong, risking up to three years in prison. The boat tried to evade military detection before he eventually escaped from Hong Kong to California.
- Returning to Alisa, she began skating at age five when her father took her to the Oakland Ice Center. She later trained under Laura Lipetsky, a former figure skater who studied with legendary coach Frank Carroll, quickly becoming a prodigy in the skating world.
- After her Olympic success, many in the U.S. viewed Alisa as a symbol of the “American Dream” and an important image of patriotism.
- Amidst great power competition, her achievements also rapidly boosted her social media fanbase.
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Eileen Gu: A Global Icon Wearing China's Colors.
- She is a freestyle skier who chose to represent "Team China" from 2019 (at age 15), despite being born and raised in the U.S., with the key goal of inspiring youth.
- Eileen competed in her first freestyle skiing world championship in January 2019, representing the U.S. at that time. It was her last competition as a U.S. representative.
- China then began recruiting overseas athletes of Chinese descent, especially in America, to strengthen its team ahead of the 2022 Olympics. Eileen joined the team and first competed for China in June that year after changing her nationality with the International Ski Federation.
- She announced on Instagram that she made the decision "to help inspire millions of young people" in China.
- At the 2022 Beijing Olympics, Eileen won two gold medals in Big Air and Halfpipe, plus a silver in Slopestyle.
- At the 2026 Olympics, she earned gold in Halfpipe and two silvers in Big Air and Slopestyle, making her the most decorated athlete in Winter Olympic history with six medals (3 golds, 3 silvers across 2022 and 2026), earning her the affectionate nickname "Snow Princess."
- Beyond sports, she is pursuing a bachelor's degree in international relations at prestigious Stanford University, fluent in English and Mandarin, and is a world-renowned model featured on many major fashion magazine covers and global stages like the Met Gala and Paris Fashion Week, recognized as a fashion icon for her generation.
- However, her choice to compete for China has drawn harsh criticism in the U.S., with some viewing her decision as more than just a sporting matter.
Why has this become a “war” of ideas? Many U.S. media and people have interpreted the story of Alisa and Eileen as a symbolic contrast between two major concepts.
Alisa = Loyalty to the United States.
Eileen = Expressing a global identity through representing China.
Although neither athlete intended to make it political, the current U.S.-China tensions have made their decisions inevitably interpreted in this light.
Public and media reactions have varied.
- Some U.S. media and analysts have criticized Eileen for "lacking loyalty" to the country where she grew up.
- Meanwhile, Eileen has responded that she chose her own path and that the criticism comes from others' opinions.
- On social media, many portray both as “hero and villain in a sports drama,” reflecting conflicts of identity, nationality, and values.
The stories of Alisa Liu and Eileen Gu are not just about sports but reflect the modern world where decisions by mixed-heritage athletes may be seen as ideological or political.
Both are world-class athletes, both Olympic gold medalists, and both inspire many people globally.
The only difference lies in the “flag” they wear on their chests and how people interpret its meaning.