The Olympic Village isn’t just about the pursuit of medals. American luger Sophia Kirkby, 24, is giving fans a glimpse behind the scenes of life at the Winter Games, documenting her search for romance alongside her athletic competition in Italy. With around 23,000 followers on Instagram, Kirkby has been sharing videos and updates on her experiences and expectations as she navigates the dating scene during the Games.
In a post from Saturday, February 7th, filmed inside the Olympic Village, Kirkby announced she’ll be taking her audience along for the ride as she attempts to “date during the Olympics.” “The most coveted single in the Olympic Village arrives tomorrow,” she wrote in the caption of a video showing her entering a dorm room to the sound of Olivia Dean’s “So Easy (To Fall in Love).” She also shared that she’s excited to show what life is like for an Olympic athlete trying to balance a romantic life with training, constant travel, and strict rest schedules.
Behind the Scenes at the Olympics
The American, competing in the women’s doubles event which makes its debut at this year’s Games, says she finds it “interesting for people to see the love life of an Olympic athlete during the Games.” In previous posts, she’s highlighted the challenges of balancing relationships with the demands of high-performance athletics and playfully hinted at the possibility of “accidentally finding the love of your life.”
Her videos include glimpses of daily life in the village, such as delivering handmade cappuccinos with the hope of a “romantic and pleasant” encounter, and posts suggesting she’s looking for company on Valentine’s Day. Following Friday’s opening ceremony, she even pointed towards the Team USA supporters in Cortina, writing: “My boyfriend might be somewhere in this crowd.”
Based in Cortina d’Ampezzo with the other luge competitors, Kirkby has also shown interactions with volunteers and made it clear she’s not limiting her search to fellow athletes. In one video, she openly invited her followers to reach out, admitting she gets shy when flirting and describing her ideal match: someone taller than her, “really cool,” and strong.
Luge, a Winter Olympic sport where athletes race down an icy track headfirst on a small sled, relying solely on body movements for steering, is known as one of the fastest and most technical sports at the Games. A silver and bronze medalist at World Championships, Kirkby is scheduled to compete on Wednesday, February 11th, with an official training session set for the day before, concluding a busy stretch of competition.
