“Having someone that understands, that has taken off a massive amount of pressure.”
The world of celebrity and sports are closely intertwined so it should be no surprise that major athletes end up dating some of Hollywood’s biggest stars. Oftentimes, these talented athletes excel in their sports, making it all the way to the Olympics. From snowboarding to swimming, these athletes compete at the highest level.
Find out which celebrities are dating Olympians, past and present!
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1. Nina Dobrev & Shaun White
Nina Dobrev met her snowboarder boyfriend Shaun White in 2019. Shaun, who has become a celebrity in his own right, admits he actually had no idea how famous Nina was when they first met. When Shaun headed to his fifth and final Olympics in 2022, Nina wasn’t able to join him because of COVID restrictions but she was clearly in awe of his accomplishments.
“She was so proud. I mean, she’s sent me so many amazing clippings and things… Posts from people, and she just basically told me how proud she was and that you know, she knew I wanted to hit the podium at least and whatnot, but she was like, hold your head up high,” Shaun told Olympics.com. “You’ve done that and more and she just can’t wait for me to get home.”
On Instagram, Nina added, “I am in awe of you. Today we are celebrating you. Your hard work. Your passion. Your determination. Your talent. Your class. Your fearlessness. Your courage. Your soul. Your heart. YOUR LEGACY. I couldn’t be more proud. Of everything you have accomplished over the last 20+ years as a competitor and the man you have become. You are one of a kind. You are a true hero and you inspire me daily.”
2. Cody Simpson & Emma McKeon
Cody Simpson rose to fame as a musician but in the past few years, he’s dedicated himself to competitive swimming. That’s how he met his girlfriend Emma McKeon, who is Australia’s most decorated Olympian. At just 30-years-old, she’s taken home 11 medals and is set to head to Paris to take home a few more. While Cody did not qualify for the Olympics, this year will mark the end of both his and Emma’s swimming careers. He says he’s excited for what’s next for both of them.
“Never once in my life have I not known what is next. Emma has never had a life without swimming. I know what it is like, but she has never had it, so I’m excited for her to explore her other interests and have the time to do that because she has never had it as a kid,” Cody told News Corp.
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3. Enrique Iglesias & Anna Kournikova
Enrique Iglesias has been linked to tennis superstar Anna Kournikova since the early 2000s. They couple didn’t meet until Anna starred in Enrique’s “Escape” music video and at that point, she had already competed at the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta several years earlier. Looking back, Enrique says their background in sports and entertainment helped them understand each other.
“When we met — although she came from the sports world — in a way, we kind of got each other. She knew what my world was like. I kind of knew what her world was like. So that understanding helped a lot,” Enrique told People. “We just started connecting little by little and got stronger and stronger and stronger.”
4. Jake Paul & Jutta Leerdam
In 2023, Jake Paul confirmed he was dating Dutch speed skater Jutta Leerdam. The athlete, who won a silver medal at the 2022 Beijing Olympics, reportedly met Jake through Instagram. Since then, they’ve been inseparable and can’t help gushing about one another.
“Her smile, her eyes, her laugh just like, give me life on a daily basis and I’ve never met anyone like her. And she’s only 24 and she’s already such an incredible, determined, smart, hard-working, loyal, trustworthy person…and every f–king adjective that exists,” Jake said on his brother Logan’s Impaulsive podcast.
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5. Candace Cameron Bure & Valeri Bure
Candace Cameron Bure has been married to former professional hockey player Valeri Bure since 1996. Candace met Valeri when she attended her first ever hockey game with the rest of the Full House cast. After tying the knot, Candace got to attend a whole lot of other hockey games, as Valeri went to the Olympics in both 1998 and 2002.
“[Lori Loughlin and I] were looking at these two cute men on the ice, and I was like, ‘I wanna meet that one, the blonde one,’ which was Val,” she recalled during a HuffPost Live interview. “We went on a date the very next day, and in less than a year we were engaged.”
6. Cordae & Naomi Osaka
Rapper Cordae has been dating tennis star Naomi Osaka since 2019. When they first met at an LA Clippers game, Cordae admits he didn’t know who Naomi was because he doesn’t watch tennis often.
“It’s not my sport. If you asked me about tennis, before being immersed in it because of Naomi, I could only give you Venus and Serena Williams, you know? Because they’re just a part of the culture,” Cordae told GQ.
Since meeting, Naomi made her debut at the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo and is headed to Paris to compete this month. The couple have also welcomed their first child.
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7. Brooklyn Decker & Andy Roddick
Brooklyn Decker has been married to tennis champion Andy Roddick since 2009. By the time they tied the knot, he had already been to the 2004 Olympics in Athens and had his sights set on the 2012 London Olympics. Brooklyn has been by his side throughout his athletic career and he says he’s shared some of his most special moments in sports with her.
“I got to take Brooke, my wife [to Wimbledon] to have a meal with the chairman. And the walk that I’ve made a million times, from the locker room to the center court where you’re walking through a club….she got to see, the walk that you do when you play in a final,” he said on Served with Andy Roddick. “We got to make that walk together, which was really cool. And I think it was a cool experience for her as well. I loved that day.”
8. Gabrielle Union & Dwyane Wade
When Gabrielle Union began dating basketball star Dwyane Wade, he had already competed at two Olympic games. In 2004, he took home the bronze medal in Athens and in 2008, he and his team won the gold in Beijing. In the years that followed, Gabrielle supported Dwyane throughout his basketball career up until his final game.
“By his side through it all,” Gabrielle wrote on Instagram when Dwyane was later inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame.
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9. Noureen DeWulf & Ryan Miller
Actress Noureen DeWulf tied the knot with professional ice hockey player Ryan Miller in 2011. At that time, he had just won a silver medal at the 2010 Vancouver Olympics. Then, four years later, he competed at the Sochi Winter Olympics. Noureen had the chance to join him in 2014, even blogging her whole experience in Russia.
“What a fantastic experience these Olympics have been. Congratulations to all the athletes. It is such an amazing accomplishment to get to be in Sochi, and represent your country,” Noureen wrote. “I’m so appreciative of this experience and incredibly proud of Ryan and the US men’s hockey team.”
10. Dustin Lance Black & Tom Daley
Academy Award-winning screenwriter and director Dustin Lance Black has been married to British diver Tom Daley since 2017. By that time, Tom had already competed in the 2008 Beijing Olympics, the 2012 games in London, and the 2016 Rio games. Since then, Dustin has supported Tom in his athletic pursuits, including the 2020 Tokyo games and the upcoming games in Paris.
“He gets the hard work, the dedication and the commitment you have to put into it and I get the commitment he has to put into his work,” Tom told the Evening Standard. “Having someone that understands, that has taken off a massive amount of pressure.”
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11. Paige Lorenze & Tommy Paul
Influencer Paige Lorenze has been dating professional tennis player Tommy Paul since they met at the US Open in 2022. At that time, he’d recently made his Olympic debut at the 2020 Tokyo Games. This year, he’ll be making his return at the 2024 games in Paris and there’s no doubt Paige will be by his side.
“I love being on the tennis tour. Sports have always been a big part of my identity and who I am. I was a ski racer my whole life. I thrive in a competitive environment and the people [in sports] are passionate,” Paige told Forbes.
