When we think of large or impressive celebrity engagement rings, we often think of actresses, singers, or models. While female athletes are not often known for their flashy jewelry, many of them also have beautiful engagement rings, proving that you can be active and still enjoy gorgeous jewelry. Here are eight great engagement rings worn by some famous female athletes.
Natalie Coughlin
Olympic gold medalist swimmer Natalie Coughlin has been married now for more than seven years, but that does not make her ring, given to her by her husband and fellow swimmer Ethan Hall, old news. Coughlin’s engagement ring is a 2-carat round-cut diamond on a platinum band.
Maria Höfl-Riesch
Maria Höfl-Riesch, a retired German skiing star, who is close friends with American skiing sensation Lindsey Vonn, married her manager, Marcus Höfl, in April 2011. The German skier’s engagement ring is a little less flashy than many celebrity’s rings. She has a gold band with paved diamonds along the top of the ring.
Sydney Leroux
Professional soccer players Sydney Leroux and Dom Dwyer got married in a private ceremony in January 2015. The next month, they announced the marriage and posted pictures, including photos some featuring the bride’s ring. The ring has a large square diamond surrounded by smaller round diamonds. The band includes two trails of diamonds that cross along the sides.
Tara Lipinski
She stole the world’s hearts when she won the 1998 Olympic gold medal in women’s figure skating. Now, apparently Todd Kapostasy, a Fox Sports producer, has stolen Lipinski’s heart. The couple got engaged in December 2015, and the bride-to-be got a large oval solitaire diamond ring.
Nastia Liukin
When 2008 all-around gymnastics Olympic gold medalist Nastia Liukin and Matt Lombardi, a former college hockey player, got engaged in June 2015, she was excited to show off her engagement ring. Liukin’s approximately 4-carat diamond ring features a center cushion-cut diamond surrounded by a halo of diamonds. The band also includes diamonds. Liukin’s ring is estimated to be worth somewhere in the six-figure range.
Amy Purdy
When Paralympic snowboarder Amy Purdy got engaged in May 2015 to her now-husband Daniel Gale, she got a ring made from twigs and vines twisted together. While the unique nature of the ring made it special, the snowboarding champion did have another ring to accompany the original by the time the couple married in August 2015. Her other ring was a two-carat golden brown diamond with a rose gold and platinum band. The second ring includes smaller white accent diamonds and hand engraving.
Shawn Johnson
She might be tiny, but there was nothing small about the proposal or the ring retired Olympic gymnast Shawn Johnson got from her now-husband football player, Andrew East. The July 2015 proposal happened after Johnson threw the first pitch at a Chicago Cubs baseball game. The couple got married in April 2016. Johnson’s ring includes a large round diamond in the center. There are smaller round diamonds along the band.
Sasha Cohen
The 2006 Olympic silver medalist in figure skating, Sasha Cohen, and her now-husband, Tom May, got engaged during a romantic July 2015 vacation and got married in August 2016. Cohen’s oval-cut diamond ring has a platinum band. While the diamond is quite large, the setting is a little simpler than many celebrity engagement rings.
Of course, many people cannot afford to buy engagement rings as luxurious as the ones their favorite sports stars wear, but that does not mean you cannot admire these beautiful rings and dream of one day having a similar ring. Often, reducing the size of the center stone or making other changes may allow you to afford a ring inspired by your favorite female athlete or other celebrity.