What to Know
Freestyle skier Eileen Gu is addressing recent criticism from American political figures, namely Vice President JD Vance.
Gu responded to recent remarks from Vance, who said in a Fox News interview that he hoped someone raised in America would “want to compete with the United States,” via X/Twitter.
“I’m flattered. Thanks, JD! That’s sweet,” Gu said, via USA TODAY.
When asked if she feels “like a bit of a punching bag for a certain strand of American politics at the moment, the 22-year-old said, ”I do.”
“So many athletes compete for a different country. … People only have a problem with me doing it because they kind of lump China into this monolithic entity, and they just hate China,” she continued, via USA TODAY. “So it’s not really about what they think it’s about.
“And also, because I win. Like if I wasn’t doing well, I think that they probably wouldn’t care as much, and that’s OK for me. People are entitled to their opinions.”
Gu disclosed she was physically attacked on the Stanford University campus last year by a person not affiliated with the school.
“It was pretty serious, yeah,” she said. Her dorm was also robbed.
Gu noted the challenge of competing in three different events at the Olympics, saying she had not trained for the halfpipe in two months.
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