Who Is Katrin Tanja Davidsdottir? 5 Things to Know About Brooks Laich’s Girlfriend

Credit: Shutterstock; Courtesy of Katrin Tanja Davidsdottir/Instagram

Who Is Katrin Tanja Davidsdottir? 5 Things to Know About Brooks Laich’s Girlfriend

New couple alert! Brooks Laich has a new lady in his life, whom he’s constantly inspired by. The former hockey player went Instagram official with Icelandic athlete Katrín Tanja Davíðsdóttir on Sunday, August 1, during her appearance at the 2021 NOBULL CrossFit Games in Madison, Wisconsin.

After the pair were spotted kissing during a livestream at the Games, Laich shared a sweet tribute to Davíðsdóttir via Instagram at the time.

“Ever since I met @katrintanja she’s always said one of her favorite events at the @crossfitgames is snatching under the lights of a packed Coliseum on Saturday night,” he captioned a video of her lifting weights. “I finally got to witness it last night, and it’s truly a spectacle… And thank you @katrintanja - you continue to inspire and amaze, and it was an absolute joy to watch you in your element last night! #SledDog🇮🇸🐺"

Two days later, the Canadian native shared another post of his girlfriend running in a separate event. He captioned it, “This weekend I was able to witness @katrintanja compete live for the first time, and I am left more inspired and amazed than I could have ever imagined.” He continued, “So proud of the way she competed this weekend, which was the expression of the hard work she put in to be here. Rest assured the next time she takes the field, I will be there watching - bearing witness to one of the greatest competitors I have ever met!”

The Iceland native commended Laich for his support via Instagram, writing, “THE MOST incredible feeling to get to step out on that comp floor & I know you know that feeling aaaaaaaaaall too well ✨☺️🌟 Thankful for you & the best support always always always. Lets do it again next year!! (#Games2022😉) xxx.”

News of the former NHL athlete’s romance came a year after he split from Julianne Hough following nearly three years of marriage.

“We have lovingly and carefully taken the time we have needed to arrive at our decision to separate,” the estranged couple said in a joint statement in May 2020. “We share an abundance of love and respect for one another and will continue to lead with our hearts from that place. We kindly request your compassion and respect for our privacy moving forward.”

A month earlier, a source exclusively told Us Weekly that Laich and the Dancing With the Stars alum were “not doing well” after she was photographed with actor Ben Barnes in Los Angeles.

Keep scrolling to learn more about the CrossFit athlete who's stolen Laich's heart:

Credit: Shutterstock; Courtesy of Katrin Tanja Davidsdottir/Instagram

Who Is Katrin Tanja Davidsdottir? 5 Things to Know About Brooks Laich’s Girlfriend

New couple alert! Brooks Laich has a new lady in his life, whom he’s constantly inspired by. The former hockey player went Instagram official with Icelandic athlete Katrín Tanja Davíðsdóttir on Sunday, August 1, during her appearance at the 2021 NOBULL CrossFit Games in Madison, Wisconsin.

After the pair were spotted kissing during a livestream at the Games, Laich shared a sweet tribute to Davíðsdóttir via Instagram at the time.

“Ever since I met @katrintanja she’s always said one of her favorite events at the @crossfitgames is snatching under the lights of a packed Coliseum on Saturday night,” he captioned a video of her lifting weights. “I finally got to witness it last night, and it’s truly a spectacle… And thank you @katrintanja - you continue to inspire and amaze, and it was an absolute joy to watch you in your element last night! #SledDog🇮🇸🐺"

Two days later, the Canadian native shared another post of his girlfriend running in a separate event. He captioned it, “This weekend I was able to witness @katrintanja compete live for the first time, and I am left more inspired and amazed than I could have ever imagined.” He continued, “So proud of the way she competed this weekend, which was the expression of the hard work she put in to be here. Rest assured the next time she takes the field, I will be there watching - bearing witness to one of the greatest competitors I have ever met!”

The Iceland native commended Laich for his support via Instagram, writing, “THE MOST incredible feeling to get to step out on that comp floor & I know you know that feeling aaaaaaaaaall too well ✨☺️🌟 Thankful for you & the best support always always always. Lets do it again next year!! (#Games2022😉) xxx.”

News of the former NHL athlete’s romance came a year after he split from Julianne Hough following nearly three years of marriage.

“We have lovingly and carefully taken the time we have needed to arrive at our decision to separate,” the estranged couple said in a joint statement in May 2020. “We share an abundance of love and respect for one another and will continue to lead with our hearts from that place. We kindly request your compassion and respect for our privacy moving forward.”

A month earlier, a source exclusively told Us Weekly that Laich and the Dancing With the Stars alum were “not doing well” after she was photographed with actor Ben Barnes in Los Angeles.

Keep scrolling to learn more about the CrossFit athlete who's stolen Laich's heart:

Credit: Courtesy of Katrin Tanja Davidsdottir/Instagram

1. She’s a Two-Time CrossFit Games Champion

Davíðsdóttir is one of two competitors to win the Games twice — in 2015 and 2016, respectively — and be crowned the “Fittest Woman on Earth.” The former track athlete first competed in the 2012 championships where she placed 30th after less than a year of training, according to her CrossFit Games biography. She has continued to train, noting that she “loves a good competition” via YouTube in October 2020.

Credit: Courtesy of Katrin Tanja Davidsdottir/Instagram

2. She’s From Iceland

While she grew up in Reykjavik, Davíðsdóttir has since relocated to the United States and currently lives in Natick, Massachusetts, where she is affiliated with CrossFit New England.

Credit: Courtesy of Katrin Tanja Davidsdottir/Instagram

3. She Used to Be a Gymnast Growing Up

Before training in CrossFit, Davíðsdóttir focused on competitive gymnastics. According to the CrossFit YouTube channel, she even qualified for the Icelandic National Team when she was 15 years old.

Credit: Courtesy of Katrin Tanja Davidsdottir/Instagram

4. She Wrote a Memoir in 2019 About Her Athletic Journey

Her memoir, published in August 2019, is titled Dottir: My Journey to Becoming a Two-Time CrossFit Games Champion. In it, she shared her competitive journey with readers, focusing on her training, goals, nutrition and mental toughness. The book, published by St. Martin’s Press, was cowritten by sports broadcaster Rory McKernan.

Credit: Courtesy of Katrin Tanja Davidsdottir/Instagram

5. After Previous Struggles, She Adopted a Healthy Attitude About Carbs

The CrossFit champion used to have a “bad” relationship with carbs, she told Insider in April 2021. "I thought I shouldn't eat bread, and I definitely used to be afraid of carbs too," she explained at the time. "Growing up being a gymnast, my mindset was like, a successful day was the less I ate, which is absolutely ridiculous, and then starting CrossFit, I just didn't know about nutrition. I didn't know about how the body works and what it needs.”

Davíðsdóttir thought carbs would make her gain weight and strived to cut them from her diet for 10 years. "I had gotten caught up in food being the enemy, instead of seeing it as fueling my body, helping me through the workout, helping me recover for the next one,” she added.


Since working with a nutritionist, she now has a healthier mindset surrounding food and carbs to have enough energy for a workout or a competition. "Now knowing that [carbs] are actually OK, they do work well for my body and I feel so well-fueled,” she said.