Sports

WWU alum, gold medalist Breezy Johnson savors special moment after Super-G crash

Breezy Johnson has more to celebrate at the 2026 Winter Olympics. On top of winning Team USA’s first gold medal, she is now engaged.

Johnson, who attended Western Washington University from 2016-18, crashed during the women’s Super-G race Thursday in Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy and was unable to finish the race. She was unharmed after the crash, according to multiple media reports.

Team USA’s Breezy Johnson, center, won the gold medal in the women's downhill at the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics at Tofane Alpine Skiing Centre on Feb. 8 in Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy.
Team USA’s Breezy Johnson, center, won the gold medal in the women's downhill at the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics at Tofane Alpine Skiing Centre on Feb. 8 in Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy. Christophe Pallot/Agence Zoom Getty Images

Her fiancé, Connor Watkins, greeted Johnson near the finishing area and immediately dropped to one knee.

“You’ve worked so hard and achieved so much, and yet you still find the time to love me and make me feel special,” Watkins said during his proposal. “And most importantly, you help me love myself. Now that I know what that feels like, there’s only one way I want to spend the rest of my life—and that’s by your side.”

Johnson took to social media to celebrate.

“Hey guys. ... Meet Connor! My ex-boyfriend! And current fiancé!” Her Instagram post reads. “Thank you to everyone who made this moment possible. It was everything I ever dreamed of. Kind of like Connor!”

“Most people want to peak at the Olympics,” Johnson told ESPN. “I just extra peaked.”

This story was originally published February 12, 2026 at 1:11 PM.

Julia Hawkins
The Bellingham Herald
Julia Hawkins joined The Herald as a service journalism and general assignment reporter in December 2025. She earned a bachelor’s degree in journalism at Western Washington University in Bellingham.
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