Olympic champion and 19-time world champion breaststroker Lilly King married fiancé James Wells on Saturday.
The ceremony came just over two and a half months after King wrapped up her competitive career at the 2025 World Championships in Singapore.
King shared wedding photos on Instagram in collaboration with their wedding photographer @antinette_photography with the caption “World’s most unserious wedding photos incoming….part 1 of ???? HUGE thank you to our incredible photographer Michelle Antionette for truly capturing all the Lilly and James-ness possible🤩 @antoinette_photography”
King was famously proposed to following her 200 breast final at the 2024 US Olympic Trials in Lucas Oil Stadium, with Wells getting down on one knee, just moments after King finished her race in the media zone. The moment was broadcast to millions of viewers on NBC Sports.
Both King and Wells are Indiana swimming alumni, with Wells graduating in 2014. Wells’ final competitive swim came at the 2021 Olympic Trials in Omaha, Neb, where he swam the 100 backstroke in Wave 1.
This past summer at the World Championships, King, finished 5th in the women’s 50 breast (30.25) and 9th in the 100 breast (1:06.26). King also won a gold medal after swimming a preliminary leg of the women’s 4×100 medley relay.
Throughout her career, King racked up a total of six Olympic medals (3 gold, 2 silver, 1 bronze) and 28 World Championship medals (19 gold, 7 silver, 2 bronze).
In her time as a Hoosier, King went a perfect 8-for-8 in the breaststroke events, sweeping both the 100 breast and 200 breast each year of her illustrious collegiate swimming career.
King still holds the long course world record in the 100 breast at 1:04.13. King set that record in 2017 at the World Championships in Budapest, topping Ruta Meilutyte’s time from 2013 of 1:04.35.
Wishing them a lifetime of love, health, and happiness.
Who else thought the proposal was lowk cringe?
I thought it was ridiculous
Yes I did. But if Lilly was happy with it then that’s all that matters.
My feelings at the time were that it was her place of work. She’s an athlete. It was not an appropriate place or time for a proposal.
I like their sense of humour in the photos 😀
I swam with James. Can confirm he’s hilarious.
Saying it was her place of work is a bit misleading. Her job is effectively entertainment, and it was entertaining to probably a lot of people. It’s not like she abandoned her post at the oil rig or something.
I changed the channel.
Happy for Lilly and wish her the best! My mighty little swimmer is excited to see her at the IU breaststroke clinic soon 🙂