The new queen of Instagram is none other than Alisa Liu, who recently outpaced Irene Gu, a Chinese-American Winter Olympic gold medalist born in California. This shift, in a way, embodies American spirit.
On Tuesday, Liu hit 5.3 million followers on Instagram, just a week after clinching the first individual Olympic gold medal in women’s figure skating in nearly a quarter of a century. Almost overnight, she became a global phenomenon, capturing the hearts of Team USA fans from various backgrounds.
Interestingly, prior to the Olympics, Liu had under 300,000 followers on the platform. But her standout performance in the women’s final seemed to make headlines everywhere, marking a crucial moment of the Winter Games.
On the other side, Gu, who, despite her upbringing in the U.S., competes for the Chinese team, also brought home impressive accolades—one gold and two silver medals. This means her overall tally stands at six Olympic medals, including three gold, establishing her as the most decorated female freeskier in history.
However, Gu’s Instagram following currently lags behind Liu at 3.7 million, suggesting Liu’s numbers might still grow. Before the Games, Gu had over 2.1 million followers, experiencing an increase, but it paled in comparison to Liu’s dramatic rise to fame.
Even Gu seems caught up in the excitement around Liu. She took to Liu’s celebratory post to express her support, saying, “YESSSSSSS.”
The social media landscape has seen much back-and-forth comparing the two athletes. They both share a background of being children of immigrants from China, yet their stories diverge significantly. Liu represents the American narrative tied closely to her family, whereas Gu opted to compete for China at a young age, despite her U.S. roots.
In fact, the contrasting decisions made by their families are notable: Arthur Liu raised Alisa in Oakland, while Yang Gu raised Irene in nearby San Francisco. Their paths notably changed in 2019.
Reports indicate that the Chinese government is actively recruiting athletes of Chinese descent, aiming to bolster their competitiveness in sports ahead of major events. Both Liu and Gu found themselves as prime targets in this initiative.
Whereas Gu shifted her allegiance to represent China, Liu decided to remain with Team USA. Just months after competing for the U.S. at the Freestyle Ski World Cup in early 2019, Gu applied to change her national representation and debuted for China in June of that same year.
Arthur Liu reportedly wasn’t swayed to allow Alisa to follow a similar path. This led to Liu and her family facing scrutiny from the Chinese government as they approached the 2022 Beijing Olympics.
Liu described the overall situation as “a little strange and exciting,” reflecting, “Imagine finding out about that at such a young age. It felt like a plot twist from a movie.”
During the 2022 Winter Olympics, Gu represented China, while Liu stood for the United States. Gu came out victorious with two gold medals and one silver, gaining worldwide recognition. In contrast, Liu finished sixth in figure skating but made a return to competitive sports in 2024.
Following her success in 2026, Liu has gained considerable popularity in the Western world, especially within American circles. Notable conservative figures have lauded her for securing a gold medal for Team USA.
After winning in the women’s halfpipe, Gu broke down, revealing a personal loss with her grandmother passing before the event. Having opted for China seven years back, she completed her Olympics amidst intense scrutiny.
Gu remarked on the politicization of her decisions and the attitudes towards those representing different countries. She expressed, “It’s complicated, and opinions vary.” Ultimately, both athletes navigated a challenging landscape and brought their stories to the forefront during this defining Olympic season.
