Team USA luger Sophia Kirkby meets fan in Italy on Valentine’s Day after surprising DM during Winter Olympics stay

Sophia Kirkby is making headlines, and this time it is not just for her run on the ice. The 24-year-old Team USA luger shared a playful Valentine’s Day photo from Italy after meeting a fan who had messaged her on social media. The man flew from the United Kingdom to see her during the Winter Olympics. Kirkby, who competed in the first-ever women’s doubles luge event at the Games and finished fifth, is still staying in the Olympic Village. While many athletes have already left, she has more time to relax. And she is clearly using it to enjoy herself. In an interview with the New York Post, Sophia Kirkby explained how it all started. A fan sent her a direct message just two weeks ago. What happened next surprised many people.

Sophia Kirkby explains how fan flew from UK to Italy after sliding into her DMs during Winter Olympics stay

Sophia Kirkby told the New York Post, “He is a fan that jumped into my DMs two weeks ago.” She shared that he wrote to her, “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?”She replied, “Go ahead.”Kirkby added, “He’s actually from the United States. He’s just currently living in the UK. And he flew here just to see me.”According to the New York Post, the two first met on Friday and planned to see each other again on Valentine’s Day. Soon after, Kirkby posted a photo of herself relaxing by a pool next to a man in shorts. His face was not visible in the picture.She also explained why she still has time to enjoy Italy. “I’m fortunate that I’m one of the countries that gets to stay in the Olympic Village,” she said. “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 am just going to have fun. It’s my vacation time.”Earlier, Kirkby had openly said she was ready to meet new people. She joked about being “athlete’s village most eligible bachlorette.” In an interview with KTSM, she shared, “There’s going to be lots of tourists. I’m hoping to go on lots of dates and I’ll be opening up my dating platforms like Hinge and Tinder.”She also told Women’s Health, “My mindset is just to take chances, meet people, and see what’s out there.” She added, “Everyone’s schedule is intense, and people are really locked in on their events. But it’s also super social - there’s a lot of friendly energy, and people are excited to meet each other.” For now, Sophia Kirkby seems happy balancing her Olympic moment with a little fun off the track.