Breezy Johnson gets engaged at Winter Olympics: Who is Connor Watkins, the downhill skier’s fiancé?

Breezy Johnson’s unforgettable Winter Olympics just got even more magical. Days after winning downhill gold in Cortina d’Ampezzo, the 30-year-old American ski star said yes to longtime boyfriend Connor Watkins, who proposed in one of the most dramatic settings imaginable: the finish area of the Olympic super-G course.

Watkins dropped to one knee at the base of the Olympia delle Tofane slope moments after Johnson completed her run Thursday, pulling out a silver ring featuring a blue gemstone at its center. The proposal, which took place surrounded by athletes, officials, and teammates from around the world, left Johnson visibly emotional as she accepted.

“I just always kind of had the dream of getting engaged at the Olympics,” Johnson later said, admitting she had suspected the moment might be coming, just not how perfectly it would unfold.

Who is Connor Watkins?

Unlike Johnson, Watkins doesn’t live his life in the public eye. He works in the construction industry and met Johnson about two and a half years ago on the dating app Bumble. At the time, he had no idea he had matched with an Olympic ski racer, something he realized only about 10 minutes into their first date.

Despite the initial surprise, the two quickly formed a strong bond. Watkins has since become a constant presence at Johnson’s races, cheering her on from the sidelines, including during her gold-medal downhill performance earlier in the Games.

Planning an Olympic proposal, however, was no small task. Watkins said he had been designing the ring and preparing the moment for nearly a year, navigating tight security, unpredictable schedules, and the pressure of proposing on one of the biggest stages in sports. Things nearly went off-script when Johnson crashed during her super-G run earlier that day.

“There was a Plan B,” Watkins admitted afterward. “Because you never know how the day’s going to work out.”

Thankfully, Johnson was able to ski down safely, and moments later, walk into one of the happiest surprises of her life.

In addition to the engagement ring, Watkins presented Johnson with a carved wooden keepsake featuring lyrics from Taylor Swift’s song “The Alchemy”: “Honestly, who are we to fight the alchemy?”

Fans quickly embraced the moment online, celebrating both Johnson’s Olympic success and her engagement. The U.S. Ski & Snowboard Team shared video of the proposal, writing, “@breezyjohnsonski just added another ring to the Olympics.”

A week Johnson will never forget

The engagement capped an emotional roller coaster for Johnson, who followed her downhill gold medal with a crash in super-G and a narrow miss in the team combined event earlier in the week. It also came at the same venue where her Olympic hopes ended four years ago after she skied through a ruptured ACL.

“This place will bite you,” Johnson once said of Cortina. This time, it gave her everything.

Johnson and Watkins said they plan to celebrate with family and friends in Cortina before potentially heading to Livigno, another Olympic site, for a brief getaway.

“There’s nothing better than doing well and having somebody to share it with,” Johnson said.

Now, she leaves the Winter Olympics with two pieces of metal - an Olympic gold medal and an engagement ring - and a moment she’ll carry long after the snow melts.

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