Hillary Knight Gets Engaged; Brittany Bowe Attends Gold-Medal Game After Proposal
Hillary Knight announced an engagement that unfolded during the Winter Olympics, and her new fiancée, Brittany Bowe, was in the stands for the women's hockey gold-medal game the following day. The proposal came after a morning coffee run and the couple made the news when they shared the engagement publicly on Feb. 18 (ET).
Hillary Knight’s proposal came after a morning coffee run
The proposal followed a simple morning routine: Knight got down on one knee after a coffee run and the two announced their engagement on Feb. 18 (ET). Knight shared an Instagram video of the moment with a caption noting the Olympics brought them together and this edition made them "forever. " After the proposal, Knight attended Team USA's final practice ahead of the gold-medal game.
Brittany Bowe attends gold-medal game and remains focused on racing
Brittany Bowe was visible in a Team USA jersey in the Milano Santa Giulia Ice Hockey Arena on Feb. 19 (ET), watching the women's hockey final one day after the proposal. Bowe, who is set to compete in the women's speed skating 1500-meter race on Feb. 20 (ET), did not miss the final game of Knight's career at these Games despite her own competition schedule.
The pair first met at the 2022 Beijing Games and began dating in December 2022. Their relationship factored into public developments that followed, including Knight's public coming out in 2023. Both athletes are competing in what they have described as their final Olympic Games: this edition marks Knight's fifth Games and Bowe's fourth.
On-ice performances and remaining chances
At these Games, Bowe placed fourth in both the women's 1, 000 meters and the women's team pursuit, falling just off the podium in those events. She still had another chance to chase a medal in the women's 1500m on Feb. 20 (ET). The couple's timeline at the Olympics — from first connecting in a COVID-era bubble in Beijing to announcing an engagement here — has been a running narrative alongside their competitive schedules.
Both athletes have discussed how their shared elite-sport experience helps them relate to each other on both personal and technical levels. Knight noted that they have everyday conversations in addition to detailed talks about training and tactics, and that Bowe's approach to preparation has been influential. As the Olympics progressed, the engagement and Bowe's presence at the gold-medal game added a human subplot to the athletic storylines unfolding at the Games.
