Breezy Johnson Gets Engaged at the Winter Olympics After Winning Gold – Who is Her Fiancé, Connor Watkins?

Breezy Johnson went to the 2026 Winter Olympics with one goal: to win a gold medal. Just days after after achieving that dream in the women's downhill, she found herself celebrating another life-changing milestone. On Thursday, 12 February, at the base of the super-G run in Cortina D'Ampezzo, Johnson's boyfriend Connor Watkins proposed with a sapphire ring – and she tearfully said yes.

The moment, captured in front of fellow athletes and officials, added a romantic twist to an already dramatic Games. Johnson had crashed out of the super-G final earlier that day, but the disappointment quickly gave way to joy as Watkins dropped to one knee. Who exactly is Connor Watkins, the man who stole the spotlight alongside Johnson's Olympic victory?

A Proposal on the Slopes

Wearing a Team USA jacket, Watkins got down on one knee in the finish area surrounded by skiers from across the world. He presented Johnson with a ring of blue and white sapphires set in white gold, along with a piece of wood etched with lyrics from Taylor Swift's 2024 song The Alchemy: 'Honestly, who are we to fight the alchemy?'

During the proposal, Watkins told her: 'You've worked so hard and achieved so much, and yet you still find the time to love me, to make me feel special, and most importantly, you help me love myself,' He continued, 'There's only one way I want to spend the rest of my life, and that's by your side. I love you, Breezy. Will you marry me?'

After she said yes, Watkins stood and kissed Johnson as US teammates and officials cheered. Watkins 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 proposal came on a day of mixed emotions for Johnson. Just over an hour earlier, she crashed during the super-G final, joining more than a dozen skiers who did not finish after sliding off the course or hitting the catch fence.

Dream Come True

Johnson revealed that she had long dreamt of getting engaged at the Olympics. She said, '[I] may have told him that I just always kind of had the dream of getting engaged at the Olympics.'

Watkins confirmed that he had planned the proposal for a year but that it had 'gone above and beyond our wildest imagination.' Johnson also said that she had a hunch Watkins might propose. But her dream to get engaged at the Olympics just became extra special because of her gold medal.

She said that it was her hope before, adding, '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.'

The couple planned to celebrate with family and friends in Cortina, hoping to make a getaway to Livigno, the site of other Olympic competitions.

Johnson, who came out as bisexual in 2022, has spoken openly about wanting to be true to herself. She posted at that time on social media that she 'wanted to be open about who I am.'

She announced the engagement on Instagram, writing: 'Hey guys... meet Connor! My ex boyfriend! And current fiancé!!! 💍 Thank you to everyone who made this moment possible. It was everything I ever dreamed of. Kind of like Connor!'

Taylor Swift herself joined in celebrations, writing: '"Where's the trophy? He just running over to me" CONGRATULATIONS!!!'

Who is Connor Watkins?

According to The Athletic and Elle, Watkins works in construction and is based in Salt Lake City. The couple met on Bumble, and Watkins confessed that he didn't know who Johnson was on their first date. When he realised who she was, he said he was pretty impressed and felt a little intimidated.