FORGET about competing for gold - it was popping the question to girlfriend Candice Alley that got the butterflies swimming in Olympic distance hero Grant Hackett’s stomach.After an 18-month courtship, the champion and his singing sweetheart have announced they will race to the altar after the world swimming championships next March.

Hackett, 26, presented the 23-year-old performer with a 4.2 carat princess-cut diamond and platinum ring during a balloon ride on her birthday last month.

As one of the country’s wealthiest sports stars he didn’t skimp on the sparkler - which is believed to be worth $250,000 and one insider says is “much bigger than Bec Hewitt’s”.

But for all his bravado in the pool, Hackett said the June 23 proposal was “harder than swimming for gold”.

“It was a big, big build-up,” the world 1500m freestyle champ told New Idea.

“It was killing me. I wanted to tell the whole world but I couldn’t. I could barely sleep each night beforehand because I was so excited.”

The loved-up couple met at a swimming awards bash where Melbourne-based Alley was performing in December 2004.

“I thought the balloon ride was a great idea and I was really impressed he’d gone to so much trouble for my birthday,” Alley said.

“Then, as we descended over a lake, he pulled out the ring and proposed. It was an amazing moment.”

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