Lilly King's fabulous five minutes: Swimmer gets engaged after qualifying for Olympic event
INDIANAPOLIS — Olympic veteran Lilly King had a fabulous five minutes Thursday night at the U.S. Olympic swimming trials.
After she stormed back in the last lap to qualify for her second Olympic event at these trials in the 200-meter breaststroke, she left the pool deck, walked down a staircase backstage — and got engaged.
Her boyfriend James Wells, who like King swam for Indiana University, was waiting for her with a ring. He dropped to one knee and proposed, and she accepted.
Through a USA Swimming spokesperson, King declined to be interviewed Thursday night.
King, who finished second to Kate Douglass in the 200 after winning the 100 breaststroke earlier in the trials, became the first U.S. swimmer to qualify for the 100 and 200 breaststroke in three consecutive Olympics.