Brittany Bowe

Brittany Bowe, an American speed skater with a diverse sporting background, has carved an impressive path in the world of speed skating. Bowe's prowess extends beyond speed skating, having her roots in inline skating and basketball. Her journey in speed skating has been punctuated with multiple victories in Olympic Games, World Sprint Championships, World Single Distances Championships, and Four Continents Championships. In 2015, she clinched gold in the "1000 m" and "1500 m" events at the World Single Distances Championships and also took home the World Sprint Championship titles in 2015, 2016, 2018, and 2019. Her stellar performance in 2015 earned her the Oscar Mathisen Award.

Aside from her medal wins, Bowe holds the current world record in the 1000 meters distance in speed skating. She has also previously held the world record in the 1500 meters distance, and currently holds the American record in this distance. Bowe's record-breaking journey began in 2013, when she set a new world record in the 1000 meters with a time of 1:12.58 and won her first World Cup gold medal in Erfurt, Germany. She continued her winning streak in 2015, securing gold in both the 1000 meters and 1500 meters at the World Single Distance Championships. She currently holds the world record in the 1000 meters with a time of 1:11.61, set in 2019.

In addition to her world records, Bowe's participation in the Olympics has been marked by success. She won bronze medals in the 1000 m event at both the 2018 Pyeongchang and 2022 Beijing Olympic Games. Her championship titles extend to women's 1000m speed skating, with victories in 2015, 2019, and 2021, and women's 1500m speed skating in 2015. Bowe's accomplishments extend across different seasons in the World Cup, including overall wins in the 1000 meters World Cup.

A sought-after speaker in the areas of inclusion, leadership, empathy, and health and wellness, Bowe inspires and motivates organizations and people around the world. As a gay athlete, she reaches a community that is oftentimes affected by prejudice and exclusion. Her hope is that people can draw from her experiences on and off the ice — from her success as well as her shortcomings, from her determination and perseverance to overcome, and from her strength and confidence in her identity and sexual orientation.

Bowe is a proud ambassador of Right To Play, whose mission is to use sport and play to educate and empower children in disadvantaged communities.