Women’s luge star claims to be Winter Olympics’ ‘most eligible bachelorette’
Sophia Kirkby will compete in the women’s double luge at the Winter Olympics, but the Team USA athlete also has her eyes on securing a romantic partner
Winter Olympics star Sophia Kirkby has set her sights on bagging medals and potentially a romantic partner during her time in Milan and Cortina. The 24-year-old Team USA competitor is gearing up for the women’s double luge on Wednesday, February 11, followed by the team relay the next day.
Alongside team-mate Chevonne Forgan, she’s already etched her name in the history books as part of the first American pairing to qualify for the women’s doubles luge at the 2026 Olympics – a brand new addition to the 2026 programme.
Having represented USA luge since she was just 16, Kirkby scooped silver and bronze at the 2024 World Luge Championships in these very events, and could well improve on that performance on Italian ice this week.
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Yet beyond her Olympic bow, the Vermont native has another mission in Cortina: finding love. The stunning blonde has made it no secret to her 23,000 Instagram fans that she’s determined not to return home from Italy without a partner – be it a fellow Olympian or a fan.
Kirkby, who regularly sets pulses racing with her striking social media posts, recently invited followers to message her directly. The American shared a clip of herself confidently walking in a form-fitting bodysuit, captioned: “Athlete Village’s Most Eligible Bachelorette Arrives Tomorrow.” She wrote: “I’m happy to announce I’ll be showing you the inside life of an Olympian dating at the Olympics. Stay tuned.”
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While maintaining a light-hearted and playful approach, she has since doubled down on her quest for love by genuinely putting herself out there. Kirkby, to the delight of hundreds of fans, unveiled plans to start dating from February 12, following her final event.
She also announced that her dating platforms will be up and running in time for Valentine’s Day, saying: “The Olympics officially kick off this Friday, and I’ll be in Cortina. Also… yes, I’m single. Athlete Village’s Most Eligible Bachelorette season has officially begun.”
In another post, she added: “I finish racing on the 12th and I’m looking for a Valentine’s Date. I’m not just looking to the other Olympians to grab a cappuccino. I’ll have my dating profiles activated and I’m open to grabbing a coffee with you, the fans.”
Kirkby has since confessed that over 600 potential suitors have inundated her Instagram DMs. She shared with followers: “I have so many contenders for a date and I’m ready to start messaging you guys back and seeing what we can schedule! Right now, I actually have two dates scheduled for the 14th and I’m open to scheduling more if I have spare time.”
Speaking to Women’s Health, she said: “My mindset is just to take chances, meet people, and see what’s out there once racing is done.”
She outlined her typical dating approach, adding: “I usually keep it [the first date] simple: I’m Sophia, I compete in women’s doubles luge, and I also run a ceramics business. If they’re curious, I’ll explain the sport, but I try to keep it normal and not make it feel like an interview.”
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Kirkby also dished out some advice for potential suitors, sharing her pet peeves. She revealed: “Swearing a lot on a first date, showing up to dinner in something sloppy like a dirty hoodie, being disrespectful, bringing up an ex or saying weird stuff like they ‘only date blondes’. Basically, if a guy is immature or silly in a way that isn’t considerate, I’m out.”
Watch Winter Olympics 2026 live on discovery+
The Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic Games is running from February 6-22 and fans can enjoy more than 850 hours of action live on discovery+ via Prime Video.
Throughout the games, the £3.99 discovery+ Entertainment subscription will provide access to TNT Sports 2, the home of 24/7 Olympic coverage.
