Sport

Here are all of the inspiring LGBTQ+ stars to look out for at the 2026 Winter Olympics

Feb 01
Written by Emily Maskell

Gus Kenworthy, Amber Glenn and Nicole Silveira are LGBTQ+ Olympians headed to the Winter Games. (Clive Rose/Matthew Stockman/Patrick Goosen/Getty)

Bundle up! The 2026 Winter Olympic Games are just around the corner, and there are a number of LGBTQ+ Olympic stars we’ll be cheering on.

The Winter Games, running from 6 to 22 February, are taking place in Italy. Hosted jointly by the cities of Milan and Cortina d’Ampezzo, athletes will be descending on Northern Italy to compete.

LGBTQ+ athletes will be arriving in the snowy region with the hopes of making their countries proud, and maybe bringing home a gold medal.

This year’s Winter Games have already seen a showcase of LGBTQ+ talent with the stars of Heated Rivalry carrying the Olympic torch. However, there is a lot more to come.

Here are the LGBTQ+ athletes you should keep an eye on:

Amber Glenn poses for a photo after competing in the Women's Free Skating during the 2026 United States Figure Skating Championships — Amber Glenn is going for gold. (Matthew Stockman/Getty)

Amber Glenn – Figure Skating. Team USA

We predict American figure skater Amber Glenn will be one of the stars of this year’s Winter Games. The 26-year-old, who came out publicly as bisexual and pansexual in 2019, has been going from strength to strength.

Already this year, Glenn set a new record for the women’s US champion short program. She then became the first US woman in 21 years to win a third consecutive US championship.

Furthermore, just by taking to the ice in Italy, she’ll be making history as the first out LGBTQ+ woman to figure skate at any Olympics, Outsports reported.

Glenn has credited coming out and living as her true self as one of the reasons why she’s excelling on the ice. Reflecting on living as an out athlete, Glenn shared: “We have more acceptance and more of a community in the queer space, and I feel like I’ve been accepted with open arms, and that’s not the case for all sports.”

Ronja Savolainen #88 of the Ottawa Charge and Anna Kjellbin #71 of the Montreal Victoire skate during the third period of their PWHL game — Ronja Savolainen and Anna Kjellbin go face off on the ice. (Troy Parla/Getty)

Anna Kjellbin and Ronja Savolainen – Women’s Hockey

A real-life lesbian Heated Rivalry competing at this year’s Olympics. Yes, you heard right!

As depicted in Heated Rivalry, the National Hockey League has no active male players who are publicly out. However, when it comes to the Professional Women’s Hockey League, it’s a different story. There are around 30 out players, a number of whom are heading to this year’s Olympics.

Two of whom are engaged players, Sweden’s Anna Kjellbin and Finland’s Ronja Savolainen. Kjellbin and Savolainen first met while competing in the Swedish Women’s Hockey League as defensive players.

Now, however, they play for PWHL teams: Kjellbin plays for the Toronto Sceptres and Savolainen plays for the Ottawa Charge. That rivalry is being upped at the Olympics, as Kjellbin will be representing Sweden and Savolainen will be representing Finland.

This will be Savolainen’s third Olympic Games, winning bronze at both the 2018 and 2022 Games. Meanwhile, this year marks Kjellbin’s Olympic debut.

Brittany Bowe of United States of America competing on the Women's 1000m — Brittany Bowe will be skating speedily at the Winter Games. (Marcel ter Bals/Getty)

Brittany Bowe – Speed Skater. Team USA

American speed skater Brittany Bowe will certainly be one to watch as the decorated athlete is a real medal contender.

Heading to her fourth Olympics, Bowe already has two bronze medals, from 2018 and 2022. She’s the current world record holder in the 1000 meters distance and has previously held the 1500 meters world record.

Bowe’s partner is fellow Olympian and ice hockey star Hilary Knight. Speaking to People recently, though she won an Olympic medal, Bowe said her “biggest win coming out of [the] Beijing” Olympics was meeting Knight. Adorable!

Gus Kenworthy of Team Great Britain reacts after their second run during the Men's Freestyle Skiing Freeski — Gus Kenworthy returns for his fourth Olympics. (Clive Rose/Getty)

Gus Kenworthy – Freestyle Skiing.Team GB

All eyes will be on legendary freestyle skier Gus Kenworthy at the Games after he dramatically came out of retirement. 2026 marks his fourth Olympic Games and he’ll be hitting the slopes as part of Team GB.

Kenworthy is the star of one of the most memorable Winter Olympic moments: at the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea, he and his partner at the time, actor Matthew Wilkas, shared a kiss that was broadcast. It became known as a significant moment for LGBTQ+ visibility in professional sports.

Kenworthy competed for the USA in his first two Games, but for the UK in his third. He won silver at the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics. He then came out as gay the following year. In 2022, Kenworthy retired after a nasty crash and dropped out of the Beijing Winter Olympics.

Hilary Knight #21 of the Seattle Torrent reacts after the game against the Minnesota Frost at Climate Pledge Arena. She's holding up a hand heart — Hilary Knight is hoping to lead Team USA to victory. (Steph Chambers/Getty)

Hilary Knight – Women’s Hockey. Team USA

Ice hockey player Hilary Knight is leading Team USA’s squad to the ice. The 36-year-old is practically the face of women’s hockey in the US. She is no stranger to the pressure, going for her fifth Olympic medal in her fifth appearance at the games.

She has one gold and three silvers from the previous four Olympic Games. Also, Knight captained Team USA to a gold medal at the 2025 world championships, so the team are looking strong ahead of the Olympics.

The team have been seeded in Group A, alongside Canada, Finland, Czechia and Switzerland.

Knight is part of the queer community and was initially hesitant about coming out publicly. However, she began dating speed skater Bowe after meeting her at the 2022 Olympics in Beijing. Knight credits her relationship with Bowe with helping her to find the courage to come out, talk about a power couple!

Kim Meylemans of Belgium compete in the Women's Skeleton — Kim Meylemans will compete against her wife, Nicole Silveira. (Patrick Goosen/Getty)

Kim Meylemans – Skeleton Racer. Team Belgium

After her World Cup victory earlier this month, Kim Meylemans is on track for Olympic success. Meylemans is a skeleton racer: a high-speed winter sport, where an athlete lies face-down and head-first on a small sled, navigating an icy track at speeds of over 90mph.

The 29-year-old skeleton racer is returning for her third Olympics, after competing in 2018 and 2022. She’s on a fantastic career run at the moment, winning gold at both the 2024 and 2026 European Championships.

Meylemans is married to fellow racer Nicole Silveira. The pair met at the 2019 World Cup and hard-launched with an Instagram post in 2021: a picture of them kissing under mistletoe.

“This team right here is something truly special though and a big part of this success — I wouldn’t have achieved this goal without them, especially my wife,” Meylemans wrote in an Instagram post following her World Cup victory.

“Don’t think anyone truly understands how much I needed her with me (pushing & supporting me) to achieve this.”

Lewis Gibson of Team GB poses for a portrait — Lewis Gibson is a Team GB Olympic medal hopeful. (Shaun Botterill/Getty)

Lewis Gibson – Figure Skating. Team GB

Scottish figure skater Lewis Gibson is the 2025 world bronze medalist. Can he grab gold in 2026?

With his ice dance partner, Lilah Fear, Gibson is a four-time European medalist, an eight-time ISU Challenger Series gold medalist and an eight-time British national champion.

If his recent performance soundtracked to the Spice Girls’ “Wannabe” is anything to go by, Gibson brings an entertaining flourish to his impressive sporting showcase.

The 31-year-old first spoke about his sexuality in 2022. However, he’s remarked that he felt his public coming out was in a Valentine’s Day photo with his now-husband, Joshua Walsh.

Recently, Gibson added his voice to a growing movement in favour of allowing same-sex partnerships to compete internationally. Starting next season, British Ice Skating has permitted same-sex teams in national competitions.

Nicole Silveira of Brasil compete in the Women's Skeleton — Nicole Silveira previously secured Brazil’s best-ever result in sliding sports. (Patrick Goosen/Getty)

Nicole Silveira – Skeleton Racer. Team Brazil

Representing Team Brazil on the ice slopes, Nicole Silveira is a skeleton racer going up against her wife, Meylemans, in the high-speed sport.

Silveira’s career is also impressive. She finished 13th in 2022, Brazil’s best-ever result in sliding sports at the Winter Olympics. Then, she secured bronze at two of the World Cup stages of the 2024–25 season.

Silveira has also been open about her experiences as a queer athlete. “From the beginning, I wasn’t 100 percent sure that’s who I was and what I wanted. So it took me a while to finally be OK with it, I guess,” Silveira told TODAY in 2022.

“For a moment there, it was me hiding a lot of who I was and hiding Kim essentially from a lot of people and the closest people that I knew. It’s very special to be able to share [the] Olympic Games with your partner.

“It’s an extremely stressful, high-pressure period, so to have my person there as a comfort and safe space is of immense value to me, and also my performance. It brings a sense of calmness and normality into the [craziest] weeks of our career.”