Many Americans tuning in to the 2026 Winter Olympics want to learn more about the athletes representing the country at the games. The personal stories of individual athletes, like the comebacks of Olympians Lindsey Vonn and Alysa Liu, often draw viewers into the games and inspire younger generations to get involved in their respective sports.
One such story involves two athletes: speedskater Brittany Bowe and USA ice hockey captain Hilary Knight. The pair met at the 2022 Olympic Games and became a sports power couple. They hope that their relationship can bring visibility to their sports and the queer community.
The athletes met during the 2022 Winter Games and went on evening walks together. Because of COVID protocols at the time, they had to be fully masked when they met up. Hilary told NBC, “It wasn’t romantic at all. But it was cute.” Brittany told People that meeting Hilary was “the biggest win coming out of Beijing for sure,” which is saying a lot, because she also came home with a medal.
Hilary told NBC that her relationship with Brittany helped her come out publicly. She said that she didn’t want to come out at first because she wasn’t sure how it would be received, and she didn’t feel that it was her responsibility. However, she eventually did share that she’s part of the queer community to help bring visibility to the space.
“What an amazing opportunity it was to be able to authentically just show up as myself, as I am, in front of my friends, my small circle, publicly as well,” she said. “I’m fortunate because I had a lot of positive voices after that happened. I know that’s not the case for many people,” Hilary added.
They bought a home together and love spending time working in the backyard. They also train and play pickleball together, Hilary told NBC. She said that her relationship with Brittany allows her to be herself freely. She also said that their shared experience as high-level athletes helps them understand each other.
“As top-tier athletes, you really know what that person may need, whether it’s support or space. And I think both of us being at a high level for a pretty long time helps us understand one another,” Hilary shared.
Brittany set the world record for the 1,000-meter speedskating race in 2019 and won a bronze medal at the 2022 Olympics, per the LA Times. She just missed the podium for the same race in 2026 by a sixth-tenth-of a second. However, she told the LA Times that it still meant a lot to her that she was able to perform with her family in the stands, cheering her on.
Speedskating wasn’t Brittany’s first sport. She originally played in the WNBA as a starter guard for Florida Atlantic, and was also an inline skater before transitioning to the ice.
