“I have decided to compete for China in the upcoming 2022 Winter Olympics. This was an incredibly tough decision for me to make. I am extremely thankful for U.S. Ski & Snowboard ( @usfreeskiteam ) and the Chinese Ski Association for having the vision and belief in me to make my dreams come true. I am proud of my heritage, and equally proud of my American upbringings. The opportunity to help inspire millions of young people where my mom was born, during the 2022 Beijing Olympic Winter Games is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to help to promote the sport I love.
According to the International Ski Federation, 15-year-old Squaw Valley skier Eileen Gu officially changed her national affiliation from American to Chinese on their official website and will compete for China in the 2020 Olympics.
Nextshark.com reports Gu was born to an American father and Chinese mother in San Francisco and speaks fluent Mandarin with an authentic Beijing accent. Since she began competing internationally during the 2017-2018 season, Gu has represented the U.S. at three World Cup stops, winning one gold and taking one silver another. She took to Instagram to announce her decision (above quote).
Gu plans to continue living and training in the U.S. while also attending school and plans to visit China during summer breaks and for competitions. Best of luck in pursuit of your Olympic dreams and growing the sport for kids in China. This has potential to be a massive storyline of the games:
“Through skiing, I hope to unite people, promote common understanding, create communication, and forge friendships between nations. If I can help to inspire one young girl to break a boundary, my wishes will have come true. 🇺🇸 🇨🇳 ❤️”