Five-time Olympic medalist Lilly King made headlines for more than just her swimming prowess on Thursday night at the U.S. Olympic swimming trials. King, 27, qualified for her second event of the 2024 Paris Olympics by finishing second in the 200-meter breaststroke behind Kate Douglass at Lucas Oil Stadium. However, the moment that truly stole the show occurred just moments after she exited the pool.
As King made her way to the warmdown area, she was met with a life-changing surprise. Her boyfriend, James Wells, a fellow former University of Indiana swimmer, proposed to her. The emotional moment was captured on video and quickly shared on social media by USA Swimming and NBC Sports.
In the clip, King appeared shocked and exclaimed, “Oh my god,” before covering her mouth in disbelief as Wells knelt on one knee.
The proposal video quickly went viral, adding to the excitement of King’s qualification. Later in the evening, as she accepted her medal for her second-place finish, King pointed enthusiastically to her left hand, showcasing her engagement ring. During her poolside interview, she confirmed the news.
“News travels fast but I’m engaged,” she said flashing her ring again, as reported by D’Arcy Maine of ESPN.
King’s engagement has added a personal highlight to what will be her third Olympic appearance. She is set to make history as the first American swimmer to compete in both the 100-meter and 20-meter breaststroke in three consecutive Olympic Games. Last week, King announced that the 2024 Paris Olympics would be her final Olympic appearance. She plans to retire from competitive swimming, shifting her focus to other ventures while continuing to contribute to the swimming community.
King’s fiancé, James Wells, has also been a notable figure in the swimming community, having swum competitively at the University of Indiana. Their shared background in the sport has been a cornerstone of their relationship
A look at Lilly King’s career
King’s career is highlighted by numerous accolades. She started getting attention during the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, where she won gold medals in the 100-meter breaststroke and the 4×100-meter medley relay, via Martin Rogers, USA Today Sports.
Following her success in Rio, King continued to dominate the breaststroke events. At the 2017 World Championships, she set a world record in the 100-meter breaststroke with a time of 1:04.13 and also claimed the world title in the 50-meter breaststroke, per SwimSwam. She repeated her success at the 2019 World Championships, winning gold in both the 50-meter and 100-meter breaststroke events.
King’s college career at Indiana was equally impressive. She won eight NCAA breaststroke titles and set multiple records, including becoming the first woman to break 2:03 in the 200-yard breaststroke, per Indiana University. At the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, King added to her medal tally with a bronze in the 100-meter breaststroke and a silver in the 200-meter breaststroke.
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