Michael Phelps, Nicole Johnson (Photo : Instagram/Michael Phelps)
Olympic gold medalist Michael Phelps took to Twitter to announce that he and girlfriend Nicole Johnson are engaged. The couple have been dating on and off for the past years.
Following the Twitter announcement is an Instagram link to a photo of the couple cuddling in the snow.
"She said yes," Phelps wrote on Instagram and Twitter.
"I'm going to be a Mrs," Johnson captioned a similar photo on her Instagram account with a glimpse of the ring.
Phelp's sister Hilary also posted on Facebook a congratulatory note to the couple saying, "CONGRATULATIONS to these two lovebirds on their engagement! Couldn't be happier for my brother and thrilled to gain a sister, who I adore and love already!"
The engagement comes five months into his suspension after the charges, which will end in March. There are no further announcements as to when the wedding will be.
During the 2008 Olympic Games held in Beijing, Phelps garnered eight gold medals. After the London 2012 Games, he retired but made a comeback in 2014. He won three gold and two silver medals in August at the Pan Pacific Championships, his first major competition since his retirement in 2012.
On Sept. 30, 2014, Phelps was arrested for DUI charges in Baltimore, Maryland, CNN reported. He pleaded guilty and was placed on probation with a warning from the judge, "If you haven't gotten the message by now, or forget the message, the only option is jail."
Following his arrest, Phelps underwent inpatient treatment for 45 days in Arizona and continued the therapy in Maryland, as reported previously by Fox News. He is now also finishing his six-month suspension, and is not expected to compete for the United States team this year in Russia.
Rumors say Phelps is pushing his plans to compete in Rio.
