Nicole Silveira and Kim Meylemans seek unprecedented medal in skeleton with unified team in Milan By Thiago Lemos
7 min read
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The Brazilian Nicole Silveira begins its journey in the Jogos Olímpicos of Inverno of Milão-Cortina 2026 with an innovative strategy focused on joining international efforts. Alongside his wife, the Belgian athlete Kim Meylemans, the skeleton racer officially created the so-called Time BB, a technical structure that integrates the sporting resources of the The partnership aims to overcome individual limits and transform personal coexistence into a crucial competitive advantage for winning an unprecedented medal for the countries involved.
Since the preparatory cycle started in 2023, the athletes decided that joint training would be the key to success in a sport where thousandths of a second define the winners. Nicole, which has the best historical result of Brasil in winter sports, consolidated its position as the fourth best in the world in the ranking of Federação Internacional, Bobsled and Skeleton at the end of last season. Enquanto that, Kim Meylemans reaches the Jogos of 2026 as the leader of the current ranking, which confirms the effectiveness of the collaborative project that unified coaches, technologies and descent strategies.
The union of competitors allowed investment in equipment to reach an elite level, including the acquisition of state-of-the-art blades and a more frequent travel routine to recognize tracks. Nicole highlights that sharing technical information is the biggest differentiator of Time BB, eliminating the old professional secrets that existed when training in separate teams. The accumulated knowledge of Kim, who has sixteen years of experience in the sport, adds to the innovative vision of Nicole, who often tests new trajectories and driving methods during competitions.
Technical strategy and shared investment
The creation of the binational team made it possible to optimize financial resources from the confederations of both countries, resulting in much more efficient logistics for the athletes. By training together, they were able to hire a complete technical team that serves both simultaneously, ensuring that mechanical and physiological support is of the highest level throughout the Copa and Mundo circuit. Essa integration works as a system of mutual benefit, where the progress of one person boosts the performance of the other, creating an environment of cooperation rarely seen in high-performance individual sports.
The competitors explain that mutual support goes beyond the financial aspect and directly affects the tactical analysis of each official descent in international competitions. Quando one of the two completes her race first, she immediately shares details about the ice conditions and the nuances of the turns with the partner who is still going down. Esse Continuous stream of real-time data allows for on-the-fly adjustments that could be the difference between a podium spot and a mid-position on the overall leaderboard.
The couple’s trajectory and meeting on the ice
The relationship between Nicole and Kim began gradually during the stages of Copa and The daily interaction on the Letônia tracks was the setting where conversations about technique and personal life turned into a solid emotional bond.
After the Jogos of Pequim 2022, where they decided to make the relationship public, the acceptance by the skeleton community was immediate and extremely positive. Nicole recalls that the support received from colleagues and fans strengthened the couple’s confidence to continue with the plan of creating a unified team for the next Olympic cycle. The decision to come together on social media brought not only personal peace, but also growing engagement from the public that follows the evolution of the two athletes in European and North American competitions.
Diversity ambassadors in the Jogos Olímpicos
In addition to the total focus on the search for medals, Nicole and Kim took on a role of social leadership by being named ambassadors of Pride House Milão for this edition of Este space, officially supported by Comitê Olímpico Internacional, works as a welcome and visibility center for the LGBTQIA+ community during the Olympic period at Itália. The initiative seeks to combat any form of discrimination in sport and ensure that athletes of all orientations feel safe and represented in a high-level competitive environment.
The Brazilian highlights that the existence of such spaces is fundamental to promoting inclusion in countries that still present resistance to individual rights. Para the couple, representing Brasil and Bélgica as pride ambassadors is a way of showing that love and sport go together without compromising professionalism. Their presence at Pride House Milão draws attention to the cause of diversity as they maintain their rigorous training routine for the official skeleton competitions taking place this week.
- Combating discrimination in winter sport.
- Promoting the visibility of LGBTQIA+ athletes.
- Creation of support networks for volunteers and visitors.
- Development of educational programs on diversity.
Unusual engagement and civil union in Canadá
The marriage proposal between the two athletes occurred simultaneously and surprisingly during a vacation on Rio of Janeiro at the end of 2023. Nicole had planned a special moment on a boat, but was surprised to discover that Kim had also purchased an engagement ring for the same occasion. The coincidence was even greater due to the fact that they both chose identical jewelry in the same store, without either knowing the other’s intention, spontaneously sealing the commitment.
The civil ceremony was held privately in August 2025, in the city of Calgary, where Nicole has lived since childhood after moving with his family. The event was only attended by close family members, prioritizing the couple’s intimacy before the start of the most intense phase of preparation for the Jogos of Milão. Elas chose to postpone a big celebration party until after Olimpíadas, maintaining full focus on the training and competition routine that preceded the current event.
Technical preparation for the Cortina tracks
The Cortina d’Ampezzo track is known for its high degree of technical difficulty and requires absolute precision when cornering to avoid losing speed. Time BB carried out several reconnaissance training sessions on site to map each section of the track and understand how the blades react to the temperature variations of the Italian ice. Nicole and Kim dedicated months of study in simulators and real descents to ensure that the entry into each section is carried out as efficiently as possible.
The athletes emphasize that aerodynamics and body positioning on the sled are factors that were extensively worked on during the last Canadian summer. Nicole sought to improve his initial explosiveness at the start, while Kim focused on maintaining stability in high-speed transitions. The objective is for both teams to reach the final with a real chance of occupying prominent positions, honoring the investment and dedication put into the unified team’s project.
Expectations for the podium in Milão-Cortina
Projections for the skeleton race place Time BB among the favorites, given the consistent performance of the athletes in the last stages of Copa and Mundo. The Brazilian fans have great hopes in Nicole Silveira, who has been breaking successive national records and demonstrating constant evolution in his riding technique. The partnership with the leader of the world ranking provides Nicole with the necessary tools to face the sport’s traditional powers, such as Alemanha and Reino Unido.
The atmosphere at Vila Olímpica is one of moderate optimism, with the athletes maintaining the necessary concentration to deal with the pressure of an event of this magnitude. Nicole says that being next to her wife and team partner brings additional calm, allowing her to better deal with the natural nervousness of Olympic descents. Independentemente of the final result, Time BB has already made history by proposing an international collaboration model that prioritizes the human and technical development of the athletes involved.
Legacy for ice sports in the Brasil
The trajectory of Nicole Silveira serves as an inspiration for new Brazilian athletes who wish to enter winter sports that are not yet widespread in the country. By reaching the top of the world rankings and establishing a professional training structure, it opens doors for future generations to receive more support and visibility from sporting entities. The success of the Time BB project demonstrates that creativity and pooling of resources can make up for a country’s lack of tradition in certain sports, generating high-level competitive results.
Confederação Brasileira from Desportos into Gelo has closely followed the evolution of The exchange of technical experiences and access to cutting-edge technologies put the Brasil on the global skeleton map definitively. With the competition about to begin, the focus is on the perfect execution of everything that was planned in the last three years of intense work on the international tracks.
