A Golden Moment: Connor Watkins Proposes to Olympic Champion Breezy Johnson
CORTINA D’AMPEZZO, Italy – Just days after securing a historic downhill gold medal at the Winter Olympics, American skiing star Breezy Johnson received an even more dazzling surprise: an engagement ring. Her boyfriend, Connor Watkins, proposed in a breathtaking moment at the base of the super-G run in Cortina D’Ampezzo, and Johnson, overcome with emotion, happily accepted.
The proposal unfolded with Watkins kneeling in the finish area, surrounded by fellow skiers and competitors from around the globe. He presented a stunning silver ring featuring a captivating blue gem. Johnson, visibly moved, covered her eyes with her sunglasses as she said ‘yes’. The scene erupted in cheers from U.S. teammates and officials as Watkins sealed the moment with a kiss.
A Taylor Swift-Inspired Proposal
Adding a personal touch, Watkins gifted Johnson a piece of wood engraved with lyrics from Taylor Swift’s “The Alchemy”: “Honestly, who are we to fight the alchemy?” He revealed that he had been planning the proposal for a year, but the reality far exceeded his expectations. “It went above and beyond our wildest imagination,” Watkins shared.
Johnson admitted she had hinted at her Olympic engagement dream to Watkins, stating, “I may have told him that I just always kind of had the dream of getting engaged at the Olympics.” However, she never imagined it would coincide with winning a gold medal. “I mean, that was my hope!” she exclaimed. “But it’s definitely a lot more crazy with everything just happening all at once, and the reality of it is so different than the way you imagined, and so much better.”
A Moment Years in the Making
Watkins expressed his relief at being able to execute the proposal as he envisioned. “I was really hoping that I could get in the finish area and do it the way I wanted. And it turned out we could, and we’re just super excited.” The couple plans to celebrate with family and friends in Cortina and hopes to enjoy a getaway to Livigno, another Olympic venue.
“There’s nothing better than doing well and having somebody to share it with,” Johnson said, perfectly encapsulating the joy of the moment.
A Day of Mixed Emotions
The engagement followed a challenging super-G final where Johnson crashed, becoming one of over a dozen skiers unable to finish the course. Despite the setback, the day ultimately ended on a high note.
Johnson publicly came out as bisexual in 2022, sharing her desire to live authentically. Watkins has been a constant source of support throughout the Olympics, cheering her on to her gold medal victory in the women’s downhill, joining Lindsey Vonn as the only American woman to achieve this feat.
While the team combined event on Tuesday didn’t result in a second medal (finishing fourth despite Johnson’s strong downhill performance), the engagement undoubtedly overshadowed any disappointment.
Reporting by Molly Hunter (Cortina d’Ampezzo) and Andrew Greif (Milan).
