PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — He got the gold, then he got the girl.
After taking home the gold medal in Olympic rowing for Team USA last week, Chester County native Justin Best proposed to his longtime girlfriend live on TV in Paris.
While being interviewed Monday morning on the TODAY show, he got down on one knee and proposed to his girlfriend, Lainey Duncan, with the Eiffel Tower in the backdrop.
Members of their families stood behind the couple with dozens of bouquets of yellow roses — one rose for each day the couple has been together. Duncan told TODAY hosts they have been together for nine years.
“This is the best day of my life!” Duncan said.
“I got the gold and the girl — and she got the diamond!” Best laughed.
Best, 26, is from Kennett Square and was on the rowing team at Drexel University.
Best won the gold last week in Paris. He and his teammates are the first to win gold in the men’s four since the 1960 Olympic Games in Rome.