US women's hockey captain Hilary Knight proposed to speed skater Brittany Bowe at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milano-Cortina this week, marking a special moment for two Team USA athletes competing on the world's biggest stage.
Bowe accepted Knight's proposal on Tuesday, as the US women's hockey star got down on one knee to ask the question. Bowe later shared the engagement news on social media complete with photos from the event.
The couple first connected during the 2022 Beijing Olympics, with Bowe and Knight taking long evening walks together during those Winter Games. The walks provided both athletes a break from the competition — and their relationship blossomed.
Bowe, a two-time Olympic speed skating bronze medalist, competed in multiple events in Milan, finishing fourth in both the 1,000-meter individual race and the team pursuit.
Knight will compete for gold against archival Canada this afternoon after representing US women's hockey across multiple Olympic cycles. Bowe's own Olympic journey spans several Winter Games, cementing her legacy in speed skating.
Should US hockey win gold, it would give Knight and Bowe a chance to celebrate with an Olympic championship.
The news makes Bowe and Knight the second Team USA couple to say yes in Milano-Cortina this year, after alpine skier Breezy Johnson got engaged at the women's super-G event finish line last week.
