Two Californians, one Olympic moment: Liu’s gold and Gu’s contested allegiance

Alysa Liu wins Olympic gold in women’s figure skating, the first for the U.S. in 24 years, while California-born Eileen Gu competes for China, prompting a heated “good Asian/bad Asian” debate about allegiance, money, and identity. Gu has faced substantial scrutiny over her Beijing-backed status and lucrative backing, fueling online memes and criticism; Liu’s victory is celebrated as a dreamlike milestone amid the wider political spotlight. Gu still has a medal pursuit in the halfpipe on Saturday, underscoring how geopolitics and personal backgrounds are intertwined with Olympic competition.