Opinion: From Eileen Gu to Zhu Yi — Let’s Cheer On Our Naturalized Players

Eileen Gu and Zhu Yi, two Chinese naturalized athletes competing at the Beijing 2022 Olympic Winter Games, made their Winter Olympics debuts in the last two days, but were on the receiving end of two opposing extremes of public sentiment in China.

Skier Eileen Gu remained calm and confident at Big Air Shougang Olympic venue as the president of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) Thomas Bach watched the competition along with other spectators. After French world champion Tess Ledeux’s nearly perfect performance, the 18-year-old California-born Gu landed her first-ever leftside double cork 1620 which helped her claim the gold in women’s freeski big air.