Eileen Gu’s Birth Certificate Deepens Mystery About Father

Details of Olympic freestyle skier Eileen Gu‘s birth records have emerged amid ongoing criticism over her decision to compete for China.

The Olympian, 22, who is also a U.S. citizen due to her father being American, has withheld details about him in interviews.

Now, in the obtained birth certificate, the designated space for Eileen Gu’s father’s name is blank, further adding to the mystery.

Amid continued criticism over Eileen Gu’s decision to represent China at the Olympics, her birth records have surfaced, but they have done little to clarify the mystery surrounding her father.

In the obtained certificate, the space for the father’s name was left blank, listing only Gu’s mother, Yan, as the identifiable parent at the time of her birth at California Pacific Medical Center on September 3, 2003.

The document also shows that Gu took her mother’s surname, further deepening the mystery surrounding her father’s identity.

At present, the only confirmed detail is that the 22-year-old’s father is American, a fact that would have made her eligible to compete for the United States at the Olympic Games.

Some have described the athlete’s father as a Harvard graduate, although this claim has yet to be actually confirmed.

Gu first announced that she would be representing China in 2019, ahead of the 2022 Winter Olympics.

At the time, she described it as an “incredibly tough decision” to make, seemingly referencing the tension between the U.S. and China over her allegiance.

Since then, her choice to represent the Asian country has continued to draw attention. At some point, Vice President JD Vance weighed in, saying he hoped someone who had grown up in America would “want to compete with the United States.”

In response, Gu said she was flattered by Vance’s remarks but emphasized that her decision to compete for China should not raise eyebrows.

“So many athletes compete for a different country,” she said, per People Magazine. “People only have a problem with me doing it because they kind of lump China into this monolithic entity, and they just hate China. So it’s not really about what they think it’s about.”

“And also, because I win,” the athlete continued. “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.”

At this year’s Olympics, Gu was quite clutch, taking home gold in the halfpipe and two silver medals in other events.

Still, a journalist appeared to downplay her achievement, asking Gu during a press interview whether she saw her 2026 results as “two silvers gained or two golds lost.”

In response, Gu fired back with a lengthy rebuttal that emphasized why the question was misguided.

“I’m the most decorated female freeskier in history. I think that’s an answer in and of itself,” Gu said. “How do I say this? Winning a medal at the Olympics is a life-changing experience for every athlete. Doing it five times is exponentially harder.”

Eileen Gu went on to say that each medal that she wins is “equally hard,” then dubbed the journalist’s question “ridiculous.”

“The two medals lost situation, to be quite frank with you, I think, is kind of a ridiculous perspective to take. I’m showcasing my best skiing,” the Olympian noted.

She continued, “I’m doing things that quite literally have never been done before, and so I think that is more than good enough, but thank you.”

Last year, Forbes named Gu one of the highest-paid female athletes in the world, including her in a prestigious list alongside tennis players Coco Gauff, Aryna Sabalenka, and Iga Światek.

She reportedly earns $23 million annually, with the bulk of her income coming from endorsements with brands such as Red Bull, Porsche, IWC Schaffhausen, and most recently, TCL Electronics.

The sportswoman also earns from her side career as a model and is represented by IMG Models.

Over the years, she has appeared in campaigns for brands like Victoria’s Secret, Tiffany & Co., Fendi, Gucci, and Louis Vuitton.