American speed skating icon and Ocala native Brittany Bowe, who officially announced her retirement following her final performance at the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics, just gave the commencement address at Florida Atlantic University, a few weeks after closing out one of the most decorated and influential careers in the history of long track speed skating.
On Monday, the International Skating Union profiled Bowe’s life and accomplishments, just a few months after the athlete competed in her final race.
Bowe retires as a multiple-time world champion, an Olympic medalist, and a world record holder who spent over a decade among the world’s elite middle-distance skaters.
Growing up in Ocala, far from traditional winter sports hubs, Bowe began her athletic journey at age eight on inline skates.
Before transitioning to the ice, she was a standout collegiate athlete, playing as a point guard for the Florida Atlantic University Owls. Last week, the FAU alum had the honor of giving the commencement address at the university, which is located in Boca Raton.
Inspired by watching former inline skaters compete at the Vancouver 2010 Games, Bowe relocated to Salt Lake City to pursue speed skating. Her rise was meteoric, and she became a defining athlete of her generation, particularly in the 1000m. In 2019, she set a stunning world record of 1:11.61 in the distance, a mark that still stands today.
Throughout her 16-year professional career, she secured two Olympic bronze medals, two World Sprint Championships, and four World Single Distance titles.
The announcement comes after Bowe’s fourth and final Olympic appearance at the Milano Cortina 2026 Games.
At those Olympics, Bowe demonstrated that she remains among the fastest female skaters in the world, narrowly missing the podium with three fourth-place finishes in the 1000m, 1500m, and Team Pursuit events.
Despite the heartbreaking nature of the near-misses, Bowe expressed peace with the conclusion of her competitive journey. She’s previously stated that although speed skating shaped her into the person she is and that she is sad to retire, she is grateful that she was able to finish on her own terms.
In Ocala, Bowe is celebrated not just for her speed, but for her character. She famously gave up her 500m spot in the 2022 Beijing Games to ensure her close friend and fellow Ocalan, Erin Jackson, could compete and eventually win Olympic gold.
Jackson, who finished fifth in the 500m in Milan this year, had the honor of carrying the American flag during the 2026 opening ceremony, a distinction Bowe held in 2022.
Following her retirement, Bowe now plans to transition into a career in mindset coaching to help other athletes achieve their goals. She leaves the sport as an inspiration to a new generation of skaters, proving that a kid from a Florida inline rink can reach the pinnacle of winter sports.
Share your words of congratulations and support for Brittany Bowe as she begins this next chapter in the comments below, write a letter to the editor, or follow her at BrittanyBowe.com.