- Olympic swimmer Shayna Jack now engaged
- Boyfriend Joel Rintala proposed in Rome
- Followed Jack winning two gold medals in Paris
Aussie Olympian Shayna Jack has revealed the details behind her romantic engagement to long term partner Joel Rintala.
Jack, 25, was holidaying in Rome when her now fiancée – who is an Australian hockey player – convinced her to see the famous Trevi Fountain.
It was a late night in August, and after the swim star played tourist in Italy and tossed a coin into the water, Rintala asked what she wished for.
‘I said I couldn’t tell him or it wouldn’t come true, but he persisted and said ‘Come on, tell me,’ so I answered, ‘Well, obviously a life spent with you’,’ Jack told News Corp.
‘That’s when he pulled out the ring and said, ‘Will you spend the rest of your life with me?’
The answer was an emphatic yes – and followed Jack winning gold in the 4x100m and 4x200m freestyle relay finals at the Paris Games earlier this year.
Jack felt it was her sporting redemption following a two-year drug ban – but it seems some scars will never heal when it comes to relentless online trolls.
After Aussie swimming coach Brett Hawke declared China’s Pan Zhanle beating Kyle Chalmers by a body length in the 100m freestyle final in Paris was ‘humanly impossible’, chaos followed.
Many Chinese swim fans were furious at accusations their hero Zhanle was a drug cheat – and Jack was the easy scapegoat.
She was targeted on her Instagram, with cruel emojis of syringes and comments on her medal photos suggesting she wasn’t a ‘clean’ athlete.
It made Jack realise she will always be linked to doping, no matter her achievements in the pool.
But Jack has chosen to ignore the hate, and focus on other projects, namely her recent collaboration with popular sportswear brand LSKD.
She also plans to leap off the blocks come the LA Olympics in 2028.
‘I definitely have that motivation to come back,’ Jack said.
‘I also love being part of this [Aussie Dolphins swim] team, and I just love racing.
‘This is just the start for me…..hopefully there’s more of a story to tell….I’m proud of how far I’ve come.’
