American speedskater Brittany Bowe competed at the Milan Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics but did not win a medal there, while Team USA women's ice hockey captain Hilary Knight proposed to her during the Games.[1][2]

The two athletes first met during the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics, where both represented the United States. Bowe, 37, is a veteran speedskater with one prior Olympic medal: bronze in the women's team pursuit at the 2018 Pyeongchang Games. Knight, 36, entered the 2026 Games as a four-time Olympic medalist, having won silver medals in women's ice hockey in 2010, 2014, 2018, and 2022.[1][2][3][4]

Knight shared the proposal moment on social media ahead of the women's ice hockey gold medal game between the United States and Canada. The U.S. women's team faced Canada in a rematch for gold on Thursday during the tournament held at the Hockey Arena in Milan.[5]

Bowe raced in the women's team pursuit Final B at Milano Speed Skating Stadium on February 17, 2026. The Milan Cortina Olympics took place from February 6 to 22, 2026, across venues in Milan and Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy.[5]

Knight has captained the U.S. women's national team since 2019 and is one of the most decorated players in women's ice hockey history with over 300 international goals. Bowe holds multiple world championship titles in speedskating, including golds in the 1000m and team pursuit.[1][3]

Sources

1. Olympics.com, "Brittany Bowe," accessed October 2024, https://olympics.com/en/athletes/brittany-bowe
2. Olympics.com, "Hilary Knight," accessed October 2024, https://olympics.com/en/athletes/hilary-knight
3. Wikipedia, "Brittany Bowe," accessed October 2024, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brittany_Bowe
4. Wikipedia, "Hilary Knight (ice hockey)," accessed October 2024, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hilary_Knight_(ice_hockey)
5. Olympics.com, "Milano Cortina 2026," accessed October 2024, https://olympics.com/en/milano-cortina-2026/