King accepted, which meant the 27-year-old fan-beloved left Lucas Oil Stadium on Thursday night with a new medal and some new accessories.
King, a five-time Olympic medalist and one of the best-known members of the U.S. swimming team over the past few years, had already booked her spot in Paris on Tuesday night by winning the 100-meter breaststroke, the same event in which she won gold at the 2016 Rio Games.
The 200 was a different story, with King, an Indiana University graduate, having to fight her way past Alex Walsh in the final 25 meters on Thursday. King touched the wall in 2:21.93 for a narrow victory over Walsh, who finished in 2:22.38. Kate Douglas won the event in 2:19.46. Douglas had already won the 100 freestyle race at the Trials, with the 200 individual medley and 50 freestyle still to go.
With her second-place finish, King becomes the first American swimmer to compete in both the 100 and 200 breaststroke in three consecutive Olympic Games.
If King was disappointed with the result, she didn't have much time to show it: She left the pool, within view of television cameras and a handful of reporters, when she ran into Wells, another former IU swimmer.
“It's been amazing watching you play these last four years, both in and out of the pool. It's been amazing to watch you grow. … I'm excited to see what the future holds,” he said, reaching into his back pocket.
“Oh my goodness,” King said.
“Lilia Camille King, will you marry me?”
“Yes, yes,” she said, and they kissed and embraced.
Word spread quickly across the pool deck.
“I'd love to hear her reaction when she was out of breath and soaking wet and proposed to,” said backstroker Ryan Murphy, King's U.S. teammate at the past two Olympics, “but it would be incredible. She must be in the prime of her life.”
King, who did not answer questions from reporters Thursday, returned poolside for the awards ceremony wearing a ring on her left hand. She's always a crowd favorite, but she's especially popular here. King grew up near Evansville, Ind., and was a star swimmer for the Hoosiers, winning breaststroke events in all four years of the NCAA Championships.
There was a lot to celebrate that night. Stadium host Brendan Hansen prompted King to ask about the big news. King showed the Lucas Oil Stadium crowd her new ring and exclaimed, “I'm engaged!”
