Ah, the Winter Olympics – that magical time when athletes glide, flip, and twirl their way into our hearts, all while draped in their national flags.
But in the 2026 Milano Cortina Games, two Chinese-American stars have stolen the spotlight for reasons that have nothing to do with their triple axels or big air tricks. Enter Eileen Gu, the freestyle skiing sensation who’s basically the poster child for “thanks for the upbringing, America – now watch me cash in elsewhere.”
On the flip side, Alysa Liu, the figure skating phenom who’s like, “Nah, I’m good right here in the land of the free.” Let’s break this down with a healthy dose of Hunkle’s sarcasm, because that’s the way Hunkle is.
Eileen Gu: The Art of the Switcheroo
Picture this: Born in San Francisco to an American dad and a Chinese mom, Eileen Gu grew up soaking in all the perks of the US of A. She honed her skills on American slopes, benefited from top-tier coaching funded by American programs and even snagged a spot at Stanford University – you know, that little school that’s basically a launchpad for future billionaires.
But in 2019, at the ripe age of 15, she decided to ditch Team USA and ski for China. Why? To “inspire young girls in China,” she once said. You mean inspiration is all you need to get opportunities in China regardless of your 户口? And the estimated $23 million she raked in last year from Chinese endorsement deals probably had nothing to do with it. She’s also probably not inspiring girls in China to migrate to America, enjoy some benefits of being American, then switch sides and compete against America.
It’s like she took America’s nurturing – the freedom to train without fear of being coached by sadomasochists, the world-class facilities, the cultural melting pot that let her thrive – and said, “Cool, now I’ll use this to win medals for a regime that break all the rules and overlook any crime for the sake of winning.”
Critics have called her a “traitor” and “ungrateful,” with folks like former NBA player Enes Kanter Freedom and even Vice President JD Vance piling on. And let’s not forget the irony: She’s blasting the Olympic schedule for being “unfair” while repping a country that’s been accused of way worse unfairness on the global stage.
She’s become China’s glittering PR asset, hauling in medals and fans while handling the media like a well-oiled propaganda machine. Interviewed by the Chinese media, she audaciously said that she’s a Chinese national in China and an American in America. And by the way, China does not allow dual citizenship but for the sake of winning and bragging rights…
Alysa Liu: The Real MVP of Loyalty
Now, let’s talk about someone who actually embodies the American dream: Alysa Liu. This Bay Area native is the daughter of Arthur Liu, who fled China after the Tiananmen Square protests in 1989, seeking freedom and safety in the US. Alysa could have easily been lured by the same shiny promises that snagged Eileen – reports say she was courted by China with offers of wealth and fame, but her dad shut that down faster than a triple lutz. Instead, she rejected the PRC’s “red money” and stuck with Team USA, even after facing harassment and spying from the Chinese government during the 2022 Beijing Games.
Alysa’s story is the antithesis of Eileen’s opportunism. She competed for the country that gave her family refuge, winning gold for the US figure skating team and proving that loyalty isn’t for sale. In a world full of Eileen Gus chasing the next endorsement deal, Alysa Liu stands out as someone who remembers where they came from and doesn’t trade principles for yuan. Her dad spent nearly $1 million on her career, not because of some foreign payoff, but out of sheer dedication to her talent and their adopted homeland.
The Bottom Line: Patriotism vs. Paychecks
So, what’s the takeaway from this Olympic tale of two athletes? Eileen Gu might be flipping through the air with style, but her nationality flip-flop feels more like a calculated cash grab than a heartfelt choice. I once joked that people who say they are Chinese in China and American in America might as well say that she’s male in a men’s toilet and female in a women’s toilet. A pathetic academic in Singapore has tried to (pathetically) find fault with this analogy, but he was just deliberately missing the point, wasn’t he?
Eileen Gu is the ultimate example of biting the hand that fed you – or in this case, trained you, educated you, and set you up for success. Meanwhile, Alysa Liu skates circles around that nonsense, showing that true champions prioritise integrity over incentives.
In the end, medals are shiny, but character, values and principles shine brighter. We cheer for our favourite athletes. May the best competitor win, but our choice of who to cheer for is really a reflection of who we are. Would you cheer for someone playing against your own country?
Some people have asked me why I can’t put politics aside. Here’s my answer. A person’s political stand is inseparable from his/her values. I don’t need to talk about politics, but how can we be friends if our values don’t match up and our principles collide?
After her fall in the competition in Italy, Eileen Gu lodged a formal complaint alleging that Winter Olympics organisers had not given her sufficient training opportunities leading into the event. Oh, what about “carrying the weight of two countries on her shoulders”? I’m ashamed to call such a person my friend. How could she even have fans who look up to her? I need to keep reminding myself that there are people with a completely different set of values.
I’m not a fan of skiing or skating. But this tale of two Chinese ladies helps me clarify and illustrate my point to people who find me “political”. It’s really about values and principles. Victory is just a bonus. Win or lose, Alysa Liu is my hero.