Trailblazing non-binary runner Nikki Hiltz is continuing their winning streak, announcing their engagement to fellow runner Emma Gee.
The couple shared the happy news in Instagram posts last week.
One carousel showed Hiltz and Gee enjoying a sunset together in Sedona, Arizona, while showing off their engagement rings. The caption read: “Fiancé unlocked.”
The pair were quickly flooded with congratulations in the comments, including messages from queer One Tree Hill actor Sophia Bush, track star and Olympic gold medallist Gabby Thomas, and Olympic long-distance runner Molly Seidel.
“The life I once dreamed of”
A second post from Hiltz featured a sweet video montage of the couple’s Sedona trip, set to Noah Kahan’s song “Forever”.
In the clip, Hiltz and Gee show off their ring fingers, hug and kiss, before Hiltz lifts Gee up and twirls her around.
“When I was younger I used to dream that one day I would be brave enough to come out and that I would be lucky enough to find a woman to love and be loved by,” Hiltz wrote in the caption.
“Every time I hug [Emma Gee], go for a run, hold hands, or wake up next to her it’s a reminder that I’m living the life I once dreamed of. I think living in that constant state of gratitude is a big part of what makes queer love so magical,” Hiltz continued, adding rainbow and sparkle emojis.
“Here’s to forever, to showing up as ourselves and to dreams coming true (also I think younger me would be absolutely shook at how perfect my fiancé is).”
Gee responded in the comments, writing: “Awhhhh love you.”
A love story on and off the track
Hiltz and Gee have been together since 2020 and now live in Flagstaff, Arizona, with their dog, Scout.
Both are aiming to compete at the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles.
Gee first made headlines during her college career, when she became the first out LGBTQ+ student-athlete to compete for Brigham Young University.
She competed in the 2024 Olympic trials but was eliminated in the preliminary heats.
Hiltz, an Olympic distance runner, has won a raft of medals throughout their career, including a World Championships silver medal and several national titles.
They have also been a visible advocate for LGBTQ+ inclusion in track and field, sharing their journey as a non-binary athlete and using their platform to push for greater representation in sport.
In January, Hiltz was honoured by the LGBTQ Sports Hall of Fame when they were included in its Class of 2026 alongside figures including All-American Girls Professional Baseball League star Maybelle Blair, broadcaster Robin Roberts, lesbian tennis icon Billie Jean King, and the late gay basketballer Jason Collins.
For Hiltz and Gee, the engagement marks another joyful milestone in a relationship built around love, running, visibility and shared ambition.
