Team USA Stars Engaged at Olympics After 2022 Meeting

Love won big at the Milan Cortina Olympics when Team USA women's hockey captain Hilary Knight proposed to speedskater Brittany Bowe, creating one of the most heartwarming moments of the 2026 Winter Games.

Knight popped the question on the eve of the women's hockey gold medal game between the U.S. and Canada. She shared a video on social media showing both athletes in matching Team USA gear, with the caption: "Olympics brought us together. This one made us forever."

The couple's story began during the 2022 Beijing Olympics, where strict COVID-19 protocols made human connection rare and precious. "To have that human connection, even walking outside at a distance, it was really cool," Knight told Olympics.com last week.

Bowe discovered a tender side to the hockey superstar that surprised her. "Knowing her as a hockey player, it's like this big, strong, powerful female," Bowe said. "But then, when we got to know each other, she was soft, genuine, kind, almost shy. That really sparked my interest."

While Bowe competed without winning a medal this time around, Knight is guaranteed to leave Milan Cortina with her fifth Olympic medal after Thursday's gold medal match. The four-time Olympic medalist has already cemented her legacy as one of hockey's greatest players.

Why This Inspires

The proposal shows how the Olympics creates bonds that go beyond competition. What started as brief outdoor walks during isolation protocols in Beijing blossomed into a relationship that brought two elite athletes together across different sports.

Their engagement also reflects a growing celebration of love at the Winter Games. American skier Breezy Johnson also got engaged last week when her boyfriend proposed at the finish line of her super-G run in Cortina d'Ampezzo, right before she went on to capture her first career Olympic gold medal in downhill.

These moments remind us that the Olympics are about more than medals and records. They're about the humans behind the helmets and skates, finding connection in the most unexpected places.

Now both athletes return home with something more lasting than any medal: a future together that started with a chance meeting in Beijing and became forever in Milan.