Team USA luger Sophia Kirkby spent this year’s Valentine’s Day with a fan who flew to Milan just to meet her. The fan slid into her direct messages while she was competing on the luge track at the Winter Olympics in Milano-Cortina.
The fan, an American living in the UK, reached out with a specific proposal. Kirkby shared the exact exchange, explaining that he asked, “Hey, I just found out I have the 13th to 16th off. Would it be weird if I came and booked an Airbnb five minutes from you?” She told him, “Go ahead,” and he flew to the Olympic host city to see her.
Kirkby, a 24-year-old from Ray Brook, New York, crowned herself the “Most Eligible Bachelorette” of the 2026 games. Before her events started, she posted on social media saying she was excited to show the world “the inside life of an Olympian dating at the Olympics.” According to BroBible, after she and her partner, Chevonne Forgan, finished fifth in the women’s doubles event, she focused on finding a husband.
Operation Sports App
Your ultimate companion for sports gaming. Access in-depth coverage, thoughtful discussion, and a community built around the games—and sports—you love.
Your ultimate sports gaming companion.
The dating scene inside the Olympic Village is surprisingly limited
Team USA pays for its athletes to stay in the Olympic Village the entire time, unlike most competitors who had to leave quickly. Kirkby is treating this time as her “vacation time,” saying, “I’m just gonna have fun.”
The dating pool inside the village isn’t great. The village is a small area with mainly luge, skeleton, and bobsled athletes. She already knows all the lugers, and most of them are either married or dating. While the Winter Olympics has faced controversy over judging decisions, Kirkby is focused on her personal goals.
Skeleton athletes are somewhat familiar to her, but bobsled is completely off limits. “My ex is a bobsledder,” she noted. She also thinks all the curlers have girlfriends.
Since she shared her relationship status, she’s received over 2,000 direct messages. The Valentine’s Day visitor is just the first success story. Kirkby confirmed she has several other dates planned for her time in Milan.
Athletes making bold moves isn’t new, as seen when President Trump pardoned NFL legends for their past actions. If you want something, you have to put yourself out there, even if that means booking a flight to Milan to secure a date with an Olympian.
Published: Feb 15, 2026 01:45 pm