Lilly King needed a comeback to earn a top-two finish in Thursday's 200m breaststroke Olympic qualifying final. And it's a good thing she completed it.
Not only did King's second-place finish earn her an Olympic bid in a second event for the 2024 Paris Games, but it gave way to a moment she will never forget.
King's boyfriend James Wells proposed to her minutes after the race, getting down on one knee in front of NBC cameras — and thousands of fans.
"I don't regret for a minute dropping my job and moving halfway across the country," Wells said before making it official. King didn't hesitate before saying yes.
After Lilly King qualified for her second race for the Paris Olympics, her fiancé gave her a ring of her own. 💍 #SwimTrials24 pic.twitter.com/UgnfeyJYgO
— NBC Sports (@NBCSports) June 21, 2024
While many people might not want to be on the receiving end of a proposal minutes after coming out of a pool, that dynamic is a bit different for an Olympian. This year's Olympic trials in particular set the stage for the perfect moment for King.
When asked why he chose the setting for his proposal, Wells told NBC that the qualifiers were extra meaningful for King because they are being held in her home state of Indiana.
"It just means so much for her to be here in front of this crowd," he said.
King was born in Evansville, Indiana, and attended the University of Indiana. The Olympic swimming trials are being held at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis.
LIVE: Follow results from USA Olympic swimming trials
King might not have come out on top in the 200 breaststroke final, finishing behind Kate Douglass, but she had a memorable night nonetheless.
Thursday's second-place finish also earned King a bit of history, as she will become the first American to compete in the 100m and 200m breaststroke in three consecutive Olympics. She placed first in the 100 breaststroke Monday.
Lilly King just became the first American to swim earn a spot in the Olympics in the 100 and 200-meter breaststroke three straight years, and then proceeds to get engaged right after getting out of the pool.
— Max Parker (@MaxParkerSports) June 21, 2024
What a week for Lilly King.
King will head to Paris with an engagement ring on her finger after a night in Indianapolis that she is sure to remember forever.
