"I was confused"- Lilly King reacts after saying 'Yes' to boyfriend's proposal at U.S. Swimming Olympic Team Trials 2024

The five-time Olympic medalist, Lilly King, was pleasantly surprised at the Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, as her long-time partner James Wells proposed to her following her Paris Olympics 2024 qualification.

The 27-year-old King is one of the trailblazers in the swimming world, having clinched two Olympic golds in 100-meter breaststroke and 4x100-meter medley relay. She also has silvers in 200-meter breaststroke and 4x100-meter medley relay, and a bronze in 100-meter breaststroke.

Additionally, King has also won a remarkable 23 world championship medals: 17 golds, five silvers, and a bronze. Furthermore, King holds the world record (1:04.13) in 100-meter breaststroke, which she set during the 2017 world championships in Budapest.

King has secured her berth at her third consecutive Olympics in her signature events, the 100-meter breaststroke and the 200-meter breaststroke. On Thursday, June 20, after finishing second in the 200-meter breaststroke qualifying, King's boyfriend, James Wells, got down on one knee and proposed. In what was a great moment, King said yes. The couple used to swim together for Indiana University back in their collegiate swimming days.

As it turns out, King, the Evansville, Indiana native, was not expecting the proposal, and she was puzzled as it happened out of the blue. When questioned regarding the same, Lilly King stated (via NBC Olympics & Paralympics):

"No, No. I was really confused because Annie told me to put my hair down before I walked out, having it in my cap, and I was like "OK," sounds good.

She added:

And then I was just confused because you were down here [looking at her boyfriend]. Oh my God, I'm so excited,“ she added.

James Wells on why he proposed to Lilly King just before the Paris Olympics

2024 U.S. Olympic Team Trials - Swimming - Day 2

The Paris Olympics 2024 will mark Lilly King's final Summer Games appearance, as she has decided not to participate in the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. King plans to retire after the Paris Olympics.

King has got an ideal pre-Olympic boost with an unforgettable proposal right before the major competition in France. Her now-fiancee, Wells, was asked why he chose to propose to her just before the Paris Olympics. Here's what he said (via Today):

"I was actually, funnily enough, originally planning to do it after the Paris Games. And then just seeing Lilly with all of her friends here and kind of in this stadium in her home state, I was like, I think this would be a really special moment that she could share with everyone"