U.S. Olympic gold medalist Amanda Beard says she and her boyfriend, photographer Sacha Brown, are "thrilled" after getting engaged.

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Beard, who has won seven Olympic swimming medals, said she and Brown got engaged on Christmas Day and are excited to move forward in life together, People.com reported Friday.

"We are thrilled to be starting the next chapter in our lives together," the Olympic standout said. "We are completely in love and to top it off we are best friends. Sacha proposed on Christmas morning in the most perfect way I could imagine. He is truly the man of my dreams and every day I spend with him is a blessing."

The couple have been dating for three years.

Beard began competing in the Olympics when she was only 14 and has since taken part in four straight Olympic Games, People.com said.

The 27-year-old athlete also has a modeling career, having appeared in the men's publication Playboy.