Five Team OutAF athletes inspire at the Milan Winter Olympics

Out Athlete Fund is proud to have supported five out LGBTQ+ athletes who competed at the 2026 Milano Cortina Winter Olympics. 

These amazing athletes of Team OutAF inspired everyone with their hard work and grit. And one of them – skier Breezy Johnson – brought home a gold medal for Team USA!

Plus both Breezy and speed skater Brittany Bowe had major life-changing developments, both getting engaged to marry. 

The “comeback” stories for both Gus Kenworthy and Maddy Schaffrick were powerful to watch. And Connor McDermott-Mostowy coming all the way back from 2022 disappointment reminded us all what can happen when we put our heart, soul and body into our goals.

Congratulations to everyone on Team OutAF! Here’s how each of them performed at these 2026 Winter Olympics. 

Breezy Johnson

Breezy Johnson won a gold medal in the downhill skiing event at the Milan Olympics. It was her first Olympic medal, following gold at the 2025 World Championships. She also got engaged to her boyfriend, who presented her with an engagement ring at the bottom of one of her runs.

Brittany Bowe

This was, in her words, the final Winter Olympics for speed skater Brittany Bowe. The two-time bronze Olympic medalist finished fourth in Milan three times: women’s 1000-meter, 1500-meter and team pursuit. In Milan, Bowe also got engaged to marry her girlfriend, Olympic ice hockey champion Hilary Knight.

Gus Kenworthy

Few returns from retirement were as heralded as that of gay skier Gus Kenworthy. After qualifying for the Milan Olympics with Team Great Britain, he landed in the men’s halfpipe final and finished in an impressive 6th place.

Conor McDermott-Mostowy

In his first Winter Olympics and the only out LGBTQ+ speed skater, Conor McDermott-Mostowy competed in the men’s 1000-meter speed skating race, finishing in 9th place overall out of the 29 qualifiers – an impressive result. 

Maddy Schaffrick

After a decade away from snowboarding competition, Maddy Schaffrick qualified for the Olympics as one of the top-four American women halfpipe snowboarders. She landed a 15th-place finish in the qualification run for women’s snowboard halfpipe and inspired many with her comeback story.