Sophia Kirkby is a luge athlete representing Team USA at the Winter Olympics and she has been busy documenting her love life on social media in a bid to find a romantic partner
Sophia Kirkby’s bold move to crown herself the “most eligible bachelorette” at the Winter Olympics has clearly worked a treat, with the Team USA star now romancing a devoted admirer.
Kirkby caused quite the stir on social media by openly declaring her hunt for love – and it seems her strategy has well and truly paid off. The 24-year-old and partner Chevonne Forgan came up short of a medal in the doubles luge this week, placing fifth in Cortina.
Rather than heading back to America with her tail between her legs, Kirkby has chosen to remain in the athletes’ village to soak up the atmosphere. She’s been chronicling her adventures on Instagram, giving her 39,000 followers the inside scoop on her romantic escapades.
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Kirkby set up Hinge and Tinder accounts and has been frantically swiping, whilst also making a public plea to American snowboarder Jake Pates for a romantic rendezvous, reports the Mirror.
However, it’s a determined fan who’s been monopolising the Olympian’s time, with Kirkby spilling the beans on the extraordinary efforts this mystery bloke made to win her over. “He is a fan that jumped into my DMs two weeks ago,” she revealed to the New York Post.
“He said, ‘Hey, I just found out I have the 13th to 16th off. Would it be weird if I came and booked an Airbnb five minutes from you?’ And I was like, ‘Go ahead.’ He’s actually from the United States. He’s just currently living in the UK. And he flew here just to see me.”
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After securing fifth place in her maiden Olympics, roughly one second behind the triumphant Italian duo, Kirkby swiftly shifted her focus from icy competition to romantic pursuits. She uploaded a clip with the message: “I have my first date scheduled tomorrow”.
The athlete had been actively seeking Valentine’s Day companions ahead of Saturday’s celebrations and clearly struck gold, posting a snap of herself with a pizza slice captioned: “My first date in Cortina after my competitions”, alongside a picture of her companion with his face hidden behind a USA badge.
Kirkby then uploaded footage of herself in a crimson swimsuit, revealing her Valentine’s Day plans: a spa and sauna visit with “a boy”. She subsequently shared another image of herself alongside the mysterious gentleman, both sporting bathrobes.
“Had the loveliest spa date today-bathrobes, sauna time, and a little reset after the most intense couple weeks of my life.
“Keeping his face private, but I’ll say this: the company was very good and the vibes were very calm,” she penned. “Now we’re switching from spa mode to dinner mode… Cortina tonight.”
Unsurprisingly, followers were kept informed about the evening meal too. She posted: “My spa date took me to a Michelin-star dinner in Cortina, and I’m honestly just enjoying life right now. I’m really grateful you’re here with me for all of it.”
There was additional content, featuring a video of Kirkby in Cortina with the caption “Living my best life and meeting cute boys”. Kirkby also made sure to reassure her followers that she was only letting loose after competing.
“I’m fortunate that I’m one of the countries that gets to stay in the Olympic Village,” she informed the New York Post.
“The majority of my competitors I saw leave today, but fortunately for me, Team USA is one of the few countries that pays a premium for us to be here the entire time. So I’m just gonna have fun. It’s my vacation time.”