Former Olympic swimmer Rebecca Adlington has said she is "the happiest person ever" after announcing her engagement to boyfriend Harry Needs. The blonde medallist, 24, revealed that fellow swimmer Harry popped the question at the weekend, nearly two years after they started dating. Rebecca shared the happy news with her fans on Twitter, writing, "Had the best weekend ever!! Thank you @Harryneeds for making me the happiest person ever right now #engaged #isaidyes. "Her husband-to-be, 21, also took to Twitter to make the announcement. "Popped the big question to the wifey @BeckAdlington & we're now #engaged #shesaidyes happiest man on earth."
Referring to Beyonce's hit track, he added, "If you like it then you should put a ring on it."Rebecca - who retired from competitive swimming in January - and Harry, pictured below, started dating in May 2011, and share a home together in Nottingham. They first met while swimming for the Midlands' Nova Centurion swimming club - Harry, a 50m and 100m butterfly swimmer, is hoping to follow in his fiancee's footsteps and compete at the 2016 Olympics.
It seems the proposal may have come as a complete surprise to Rebecca, who claimed two bronze medals at the London Games, having won gold for the 400m and 800m in Beijing in 2008.In an interview last August, the Olympic champion insisted marriage was a long way off. "He's only 20, bless him," she said at the time. "If I ever mentioned marriage to him, he's like, 'I'm only a baby'."