Every two years, the world watches as top athletes gather to compete at the Olympics. While fans focus on gold medals and standout performances, many also get curious about the athletes' personal lives. Olympic romances often grab attention, with stories of love in the Olympic Village being especially captivating. Some couples, like Sue Bird and Megan Rapinoe or Roger Federer and Mirka Vavrinec, have found love while chasing athletic glory.
Megan Rapinoe & Sue Bird
Megan Rapinoe and Sue Bird are well-known athletes in soccer and basketball. They met during the 2016 Rio Olympics and quietly started dating. Though Bird wasn’t publicly out at that time, she confirmed their relationship in 2017. Rapinoe had come out earlier in 2012. Together, they’ve been advocates for social justice and LGBTQIA+ causes. In 2020, after four years together, Rapinoe proposed, and they now look forward to a tropical wedding.
Roger Federer & Mirka Vavrinec
Roger Federer, one of the greatest tennis players of all time, first met his wife, Miroslava "Mirka" Vavrinec, at the 2000 Sydney Olympics when he was 18. Despite their age difference, they soon started dating. Mirka, also a Swiss athlete, retired early due to an injury and later became Federer’s PR manager. They married in 2009 and now have twin daughters and twin sons. Federer thanked Mirka for her constant support in his 2022 retirement speech.
Kristi Yamaguchi & Bret Hedican
A figure skater falling for a hockey player sounds like a romance novel, but it’s the true story of Kristi Yamaguchi and Bret Hedican. Kristi met Bret, an NHL star, shortly after winning Olympic gold in 1992. She was impressed by his clean-cut, soft-spoken nature, different from her expectations of hockey players. They reconnected three years later, began dating, got engaged in 1998, married in 2000, and had daughters in 2003 and 2005.
Jason & Laura Kenny
British cyclists Jason and Laura Kenny met while training in 2010 but only started dating in 2012. Their relationship became public during the London Olympics, where they both won two gold medals. The media caught them kissing at a volleyball match, sitting behind David Beckham. They later married in 2016 and now have two sons. Jason retired in 2020, and Laura stepped away from cycling in 2024.
Katerina Kurkova & Matthew Emmons
At the 2004 Athens Olympics, US shooter Matthew Emmons faced unexpected challenges when his rifle was sabotaged. He had to borrow a gun but still won gold in his first event. However, a mistake in his final shot of the next event dropped him from first to eighth place. While reflecting on his loss at a bar, he met Czech shooter Katerina Kurkova. Their connection led to marriage in 2007 and four children. Kurkova supported Emmons through another tough loss in 2008, even as he secured a bronze medal.
Irina Rodríguez & Ander Mirambell
It’s rare for Olympic love stories to happen between athletes from different seasons, but it’s possible. Artistic swimmer Irina Rodríguez and skeleton racer Ander Mirambell are proof. They met at the Vancouver 2010 Games, where Rodríguez, a retired athlete turned physiotherapist, treated Mirambell. Their connection blossomed into a love story, and they now share a son.
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