North American-born Chinese Olympians get chance to shine

By JAMES ELLINGWORTH
AP Sports Writer

BEIJING (AP) — China is fielding naturalized athletes at the Beijing Games in an effort to popularize winter sports and be represented across the Olympic program. Athletes in sports including hockey were born and raised in North America. Some have Chinese heritage and see competing for China as a way to reconnect with their family origins. They include freestyle skier Eileen Gu, figure skater Zhu Yi and several hockey players on the men’s and women’s teams. Competing as a naturalized athlete for a country of 1.4 billion people can be overwhelming and hasn’t been easy for everyone.