Engaged Hockey Stars Anna Kjellbin and Ronja Savolainen Set for Rival Olympic Showdown in 2026 Winter Games

Engaged couple Anna Kjellbin and Ronja Savolainen, both professional women's hockey players, are slated to represent rival nations at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan and Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy. Kjellbin, a defenseman for the Toronto Sceptres in the Professional Women’s Hockey League , will play for Sweden, while Savolainen, also a defenseman for the Ottawa Charge, will compete for Finland. The pair are unlikely to face off in preliminary rounds but could meet in medal-round matchups.

Their story has drawn comparisons to the queer hockey romance in the series Heated Rivalry, adapted from Rachel Reid’s Game Changers novels, which depicts rivals Ilya Rozanov and Shane Hollander as competitors on the ice and partners off it. Kjellbin and Savolainen met while playing in the Swedish Women’s Hockey League , dated for five years, and announced their engagement in 2024. In October 2025, Savolainen marked their one-year engagement anniversary with an Instagram post featuring romantic photos, writing: “One year of being engaged. What did I do to deserve you… Grateful for you and us. Looking forward to the rest of my life with you! ”

Savolainen, who won bronze medals with Finland at the 2018 and 2022 Winter Olympics, shared her mindset on facing Kjellbin in a 2024 interview with the Ottawa Citizen. She stated: “I don’t care who’s in front of me… if it’s going to be her, I’m going to hit her. We can take it up after the game. ” Savolainen added: “When you play, you just play. You don’t really think about who’s there. You’re friends after. On the ice, she’s my enemy. That’s how it goes. ” For Kjellbin, the 2026 Games mark her senior Olympic debut, following a gold medal at the 2012 Winter Youth Olympic Games.

This narrative resonates within LGBTQ+ sports communities, highlighting how transgender people and other queer athletes navigate personal relationships amid high-stakes competition. Their story parallels other queer Olympic couples, such as married skeleton athletes Kim Meylemans of Belgium and Nicole Silveira of Brazil, who competed against each other in 2022 and plan to do so again in 2026. Meylemans and Silveira held a small civil marriage ceremony on August 1, 2025, ahead of a larger beach wedding planned for 2026. In a joint Instagram post, they noted the significance given Italy's political climate: “With the Games being in Italy and the current Italian government making decisions/laws that hurt the LGBTQ+ community…it feels extra special to potentially compete as a married couple and shine a light on marriage equality while doing so. ”

Meylemans has described sharing the Olympics with her spouse as invaluable: “It’s very special to be able to share Olympic Games with your partner… It brings a sense of calmness and normality into the weeks of our career. ” Similarly, past hockey couples like Julie Chu and Caroline Ouellette, who faced off in multiple Olympics, exemplify how queer athletes balance rivalry and partnership. Kjellbin and Savolainen's upcoming competition underscores growing visibility for LGBTQ+ women in hockey, a sport gaining prominence through the PWHL. As the Olympics approach in February 2026, their story offers inspiration for queer athletes worldwide, demonstrating resilience in both love and sport.