BEIJING: Eileen Gu and Beverly Zhu were both born and raised in the US before deciding to represent China, but their contrasting fortunes at the Beijing Olympics highlight the fine line between love and condemnation for the host nation’s naturalised athletes.
Freestyle skier Gu has inspired ecstasy and adulation among Chinese fans, but figure skater Zhu has endured a torrent of online abuse after two blunder-filled performances.
The 18-year-old Gu — known as Gu Ailing in China — cemented herself as one of the faces of the Games by winning gold in the inaugural women’s Big Air on Tuesday.
“Gu Ailing is taking part in her first Winter Olympics but still landed a 1620 and won gold — she is so, so awesome!” said one widely…
