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Updated Mar 11, 2024Exclusive: Team USA Bobsledders Emily Renna and Elliot Markuson Are Engaged
See the details from their Christmas proposal in Italy, which featured a thoughtful nod to the 2026 Olympics.
That's amore! Team USA bobsledders Emily Renna and Elliot Markuson are engaged. Markuson, 31, popped the question on December 25, 2025—Christmas Day—during a romantic vacation in Italy. "I had a feeling it would happen during our Christmas trip in Rome, but I just didn't know where or when," Renna, 32, exclusively tells The Knot.
Leading up to the engagement, Renna has diligently been training to earn a spot on the bobsled roster for the 2026 Olympic Games, which are set to take place in Milan and Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy in February. Since she's been preparing overseas, Markuson was able to secretly plan the proposal from afar. "It was pretty challenging, because Emily is very observant," he says. "But it made it easier that she's been out of the country."
Photo: Courtesy of Elliot Markuson and Emily Renna
Although Renna says she's been "incredibly busy and focused" on her training, there was no doubt that the Eternal City would serve as the perfect spot to get engaged. "I chose Rome because the Olympics are being held in Italy, Emily's heritage is Italian and she has two grandparents from Italy," Markuson explains. And since they met through bobsledding three years ago, he adds, the Colosseum's history as a former sporting arena served as a thoughtful backdrop.
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It was in front of that iconic landmark where Markuson dropped to one knee and presented his bride-to-be with an oval-shaped diamond perched atop a hidden halo on a gold band, which he sourced at Falls Jewelers in North Carolina. Perhaps unsurprisingly, the ring itself also served as a nod to their beloved winter sport. "Elliot chose this diamond because it reminded him of how ice sparkles," she explains. "When I turned around and saw him on one knee with the box, I couldn't believe it was happening."
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As newly minted fiancés, the couple spent the holiday walking around Rome while taking in the sights…with a new piece of hardware on hand, of course. After soaking in the excitement of the engagement, Renna will soon set her sights once again on the Olympics before diving into wedding planning. "I'm in a very important time of my life, as we're less than 50 days away from the Games and less than a month from when our team is named," she says. "Competing at the Olympics has been a lifelong dream, so I'll probably start giving [wedding planning] some thought when I have down time, but most of it will likely occur after the Games."
Few people can understand the unique pressure athletes face leading up to the Olympic Games. Luckily for Renna, her fiancé is one. "Our experiences have put us both through a lot of adversity that a lot of other people may not have faced because of our sport, but it's made our bond stronger," Renna reflects. "At the end of the day, we know how to support each other in the way the other needs it most."
While Renna's Olympics story has yet to be written, and she admits that she and Markuson aren't the types to have a "dream wedding" in mind already, there is one must-have detail that will blend a few of their shared passions. "We both want to pick a wedding location that speaks to who we are," she explains, adding, "We've considered doing a destination wedding as we love to travel the world."
Emily Renna and Elliot Markuson's Engagement Vendors
Photographer: Leah Vissering; Jeweler: Falls Jewelers; Attire: Arc & Iveagh
