23-year-old Missy Franklin has announced her engagement to Hayes Johnson via social media. Posting a pair of photos on Instagram, she wrote:
“Thank you for making this the easiest answer to any question I’ve ever been asked. Yes. Yes. Yes. A million times over.
“I will never be able to thank you enough. For making last night the best of my life. For being the most thoughtful and loving man I’ve ever known. For being my best friend, my soulmate, my safe haven, and now my FIANCÉ!💍 I’m about to get my Johnson on!!! I cannot wait to see what our forever has in store for us. I. Love. You.💖”
Photo credit: Matt Bish
Franklin is the World Record-holder in the 200m backstroke with 2:04.06, which she established winning the gold medal at the 2012 Olympic Games in London. Franklin became the darling of the swim world in London, also winning gold in the 100 backstroke and as part of the 800 free and 400 medley relays. She won bronze with the women’s 400 free relay and narrowly missed the podiums in the 200 free (she was 4th) and 100 free (5th).
Franklin swam two years for the University of California, Berkeley before turning pro in 2015. In her freshman campaign at Cal she won the 200 free with a new American Record, she was runner-up in the 500 free, and she took third in the 100 free at 2014 NCAA Division I Women’s Championships. As a sophomore she swapped the 500 free for the 200 IM on Day One and the 200 back for the 100 free on Day Three. As a result, she won all three of her individual events and lowered her American Record in the 200 free, becoming the first woman to crack the 1:40 barrier (1:39.10).
Hayes, who swam for Nashville Aquatic Club before joining the University of Texas men’s team, is currently president of HydroXphere, maker of the Meet Central app. In his swimming days he qualified for both the World Youth Championship and National Junior Team. He competed at 2008 and 2012 U.S. Olympic Trials and was a finalist at the 2009 World Championship Trials. He was also part of a NCAA National Championship for the Longhorns.
HydroXphere is headquartered in Cary, North Carolina. Franklin has been training in Athens, Georgia since January 2018.
Congrats to Missy. She also has good taste, marrying a longhorn. Hookem
Their children better be Longhorn.
A Texas Longhorn and a Cal Bear getting married.
NCAA Swimming now has it’s own Romeo and Juliet story.
That did not end well.
Why are so many people downvoting comments promoting positivity towards the engagement? I’m asking out of genuine curiosity.
They wanted her for themselves!
Most likely one person who has nothing better to do.
Oh Meerkat…
Wow congratulations Missy!!!!要永远幸福、幸福、幸福❤
I think the upvote/downvote should be eliminated. Someone’s gaming this site.
I want to hear Rowdy’s assessment of this proposal, play-by-play and including her breathing pattern, along with side commentary about what an amazing person she is.
Happy for her.