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All Black Ben Smith and long time sweetheart Katie Menzies are engaged and plan to marry next year.
Smith popped the question when they were on holiday at Phi Phi Island near Phuket, Thailand, when they were out in a small boat.
They have been close friends for a long time and flat together but it was "still a nice surprise for me," Menzies said.
It was the highlight of Menzies' year and it relegated the silver medal at the world age group triathlon championships in Beijing into second place.
Smith joined Menzies for a holiday in Thailand for a relaxing week after the world championships in China.
Menzies lives in an elite sports flat with Smith and New Zealand women's cricket captain and basketball international Suzie Bates.
"I'm the least famous one in the house," Menzies quipped.
"We don't talk about sport much unless we play backyard cricket.
"We are both sporty people but we don't give advice to each other. Ben does his thing and I do mine."
Menzies watches Smith play rugby and the All Black watches Menzies compete in triathlons.
"I love watching Ben play rugby," she said with enthusiasm. "He tries hard and is a good player."
Menzies (24), the community and schools adviser at Sport Otago, finished second in the women's aged 20 to 24 age group at the world championships.
The world title was won by Rebecca Clarke (Auckland) in 2hr 19min 03sec. Menzies was timed at 2hr 21min 33sec and Katey Burley (Great Britain) was third in 2hr 24min 09sec.
"It was cool standing on the podium in Beijing," Menzies said. " It was special because all the hard work paid off."
It is never easy training in Dunedin winters because it is cold and gets dark early.
"To go over there and put it all together after a Dunedin winter was cool," she said.
The water was warm and wetsuits were not needed in the race.
"If you're not a good swimmer, like me, a suit gives you buoyancy and makes it easier," Menzies said.
The swim was satisfactory but Menzies excelled on the bike and had the fastest female split on the hilly course. It put her into the medal spot.
The silver medal has given Menzies the appetite to get on to the podium again at next year's world championships in Auckland, in October.
Menzies, who has only been competing in triathlons for three years, was at her second world championships.
She competed on the Queensland Gold Coast two years ago.
The medal in Beijing demonstrated rapid progress in a sport that demands skills in the three disciplines of swimming, cycling and running. She is a member of the Otago Triathlon Academy.
The switch to triathlons from basketball was a good move.
"I had played basketball for a long time and just wanted something different. I wanted a new challenge," she said. "I enjoyed running, liked cycling and thought swimming would be easier to pick up than it has been."
Menzies trains with other members of the Otago Triathlon Academy and is coached by Rob Creasy in Dunedin.
"It was hard to switch," Menzies said. "There are still things I learn in every race."
Her first race was at Lake Hayes on December 27 three years ago.
"I had no idea what it would be like and remember jumping into the lake with Dad's wetsuit on," she said. "It was too big for me and I nearly drowned. It was awful."
Swimming has been the most difficult discipline for Menzies to master.
"I'm not a natural swimmer," Menzies said. "Those who have swum their whole life have an advantage over me."
Menzies is dedicated to her new sport and spends 20 hours training each week. Included in her week is a two-hour swim, 3hr 30min to 4hrs on the bike and a run of two hours.
Menzies moved into triathlons after representing New Zealand at basketball at under-16 and under-18 levels, a sport she started at Kavanagh College.
She was a key player in the Otago under-16 and under-18 teams that won national championships in 2002 and 2003.
Menzies was captain of the Otago Breakers team which made the final of the women's national basketball league and won a scholarship to play basketball for Florida Southern College at Lakeland for the Spring semester in 2006.
"The sport is taken more seriously in the US," Menzies said.
"In New Zealand, women's basketball is second fiddle to other sports.
"It was a different life experience and I met lots of cool people. Basketball over there is more intense. It was a good way to put all the training I had been doing with local basketball guru John Paul to good use.
"They are aggressive in America and attack the hoop more. I was a defensive player and was happy to do assists [rather] than score baskets. I learnt to attack the hoop more."
Menzies has a double degree in physical education and human nutrition from the University of Otago.
The Menzies file
Katie Menzies
Age: 24.
Education: Kavanagh College, University of Otago.
Occupation: Community and schools adviser at Sport Otago.
Sports: Basketball, triathlon.
Record Basketball: NZ under-16 and under-18 representative; captain Otago Breakers.
Triathlon: Silver medal at world 20 to 24 age group championships, Beijing 2011; First in NZ age group championships 2009, second in 2011.