In a heartwarming moment at the Milan Cortina Winter Olympics, US women's ice hockey captain Hilary Knight and American speed skater Brittany Bowe have announced their engagement, bringing a personal triumph to the international sporting stage.
A Proposal Captured on Camera
Knight posted a video on Wednesday, captioned "Olympics brought us together," which shows her on one knee presenting Bowe with an engagement ring. Bowe accepted the proposal, and the engagement was later officially confirmed by Team USA. The couple first met at the 2018 Pyeongchang Games, and both athletes have stated that this will be their final Olympic appearance.
Historic Careers and Final Games
Hilary Knight is making a record fifth appearance for the US women's hockey team, while Brittany Bowe is a two-time Olympic bronze medallist. Knight and the favoured US team are set to compete against Canada in the gold medal final tomorrow. Bowe, who has yet to medal at these Games after finishing fourth in the 1,000 metres and women's team pursuit, will conclude her Olympic career in the 1,500 metres race on Friday.
Another Olympic Engagement This Year
This announcement follows another engagement involving US athletes at this year's Winter Games. Breezy Johnson, who won the women's downhill title on the first weekend, got engaged to her boyfriend, Connor Watkins, last week. Watkins proposed shortly after Johnson crashed out of her final event, the super-G race, missing out on a second Olympic medal.
Details of Johnson's Proposal
The engagement ring featured a blue stone with a silver band and was presented in a ring box engraved with a Taylor Swift lyric: "Honestly, who are we to fight the alchemy?" Johnson tearfully accepted the proposal but admitted she was still disappointed about her performance in the super-G event. She said, "When you make mistakes like that in ski racing you kind of feel stupid and you just kind of want to go talk to your friends and family. And, yeah, seeing him [Watkins] was really exciting. And then just everything else is crazy."
These engagements highlight the personal stories unfolding alongside the athletic competitions at the Winter Olympics, adding a layer of human interest to the global event.
