She’s gotten a flurry of messages.
Meet the self-styled “Most Eligible Bachelor” at the Winter Olympics, currently in the scenic yet chilly Italian mountains, on the hunt for both gold and perhaps a diamond ring.
Sophia Kirkby, an American luger, has been documenting her Olympic experience in the Village as she balances practice and competition since arriving in Cortina earlier this month.
“The Olympics have kicked off, and I’m on my way to Cortina. Also, just a heads up, I’m single! The season of the Olympic Village’s Most Eligible Bachelorette is here!” she posted on Instagram on February 1st.
“I’m super excited to give you all a sneak peek into what dating looks like for an Olympian,” she added in another post.
Kirkby, 24, hails from Raybrook, New York, near Lake Placid, and has already made headlines as the first athlete to compete in the women’s double luge alongside her partner, Chevonne Forgan.
The pair finished fifth in Wednesday’s event, clocking in at 1:47.565, which was just over a second behind the gold medal winners from Italy.
While the podium was out of reach, Kirkby expressed her desire to explore a different kind of partnership going forward.
“I’m not just looking to grab coffee with other Olympians; I plan to keep my dating profile active and meet up with my fans as well,” she shared.
She doesn’t want a solitary Valentine’s Day, asking for some cheerful company.
“With Valentine’s Day around the corner, I’m still on the lookout for a date, so please drop me a message!” Kirkby told NBC Sports.
Since announcing her search for companionship, her inbox has been flooded with over a thousand hopeful messages from fans suggesting dates and potential meet-and-greets.
“Let’s take a peek at some of the messages from the guys,” she described in one of her Instagram updates.
One message read, “Hi Sophia! I heard you’re looking for a Valentine?”
Another admirer called her an “amazing, wonderful dream woman.”
A self-identified DJ from the Cortina Sliding Center, where the luge event took place, even asked her for handmade pins he had crafted during his downtime in the village.
“Oh wow, the DJ wants to give me his pin. Should I share mine too?” Kirkby pondered with her audience.
For anyone interested in courting her, they’d likely need to be taller than her 5’3″ stature and strong enough for a bit of fun physicality.
“We’ve had a lot of messages from potential dates, and we’ll definitely be reaching out soon,” she noted.
As for plans on Valentine’s Day itself, those details remain under wraps.
