hilary knight Proposes to Brittany Bowe at 2026 Winter Olympics Ahead of U.S.-Canada Gold Medal Game
Team USA’s women’s hockey captain hilary knight got down on one knee and proposed to speedskater Brittany Bowe at the Milan Cortina Winter Games, the couple confirmed with a short video and messages. The engagement came on the eve of the U. S. -Canada gold-medal rematch in women’s hockey, scheduled for Thursday at 1: 10 p. m. ET.
Proposal at the Games
The proposal unfolded amid the heightened atmosphere of the Olympic bubble. Knight captured the moment in a brief clip showing the pair in matching Team USA gear; she wrote alongside the post, "Olympics brought us together. This one made us forever. " Bowe accepted the proposal, and teammates and fellow athletes across the Village quickly shared in the celebration.
The timing underlines the emotional intensity of the Games: two elite athletes found a life milestone while focused on medal runs. Knight’s gesture arrived just before one of the year’s biggest hockey moments, and the engagement quickly became part of the week’s broader narrative about competition, personal milestones and camaraderie among Team USA members.
How they connected — from Beijing to Milan
The pair first drew close during the 2022 Winter Games, when strict protocols and the grind of competition pushed athletes to seek quiet moments. They spent long evening walks together in Beijing, carving out time to decompress and build a friendship that later evolved into a romantic relationship. That bond deepened across training cycles and international competitions, culminating in the proposal in Italy.
Bowe has spoken about discovering a different side of Knight off the ice. Known widely for her leadership and physical presence on the rink, Knight also showed a softer, more private side in their conversations. Bowe described Knight as genuine, kind and quietly thoughtful — traits that helped move the relationship beyond friendship.
On-ice credentials and what’s next
Both athletes arrive at the engagement with impressive Olympic résumés. Bowe is a multiple-time Olympic medalist in speedskating, and at these Games she competed in the 1, 000m and the team pursuit, finishing just off the podium in some events. Knight is a multi-time Olympic medalist and leads a U. S. women’s hockey squad that has repeatedly been in medal contention on the world stage.
For Knight, the personal milestone intersects with a professional peak. The women’s hockey final against Canada will determine whether she leaves Milan Cortina with another gold to add to an already decorated career. For Bowe, the Games have been a chance to chase further hardware even as she dealt with the immediate emotional high of the engagement.
The engagement is already being celebrated inside the team environment, where athletes have offered congratulations between practices, races and time in the Village. It also underscores a recurring theme of these Games: amid intense rivalry and high stakes, athletes are finding moments of humanity and joy that will be remembered long after the medals are awarded.
As they prepare for the hockey final and whatever comes next in their respective sports and lives, Knight and Bowe’s decision to make this commitment at the Olympics ties their personal story to one of sport’s most public stages — a fitting backdrop for a relationship that began in competition and has grown into a partnership beyond the ice.
