| Tamsyn inspires her man |
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By RICHARD EARLE The Advertiser June 7, 2010 GRAHAM Manou didn't have to delve far for inspiration on his Tour de Heart trek across the Nullarbor - fuelled by the after-glow of engagement to Olympic runner Tamsyn Lewis. Former South Australian skipper Manou, 31, credits Commonwealth Games gold medallist Lewis with turning around a a first-class career that was floundering three years ago. Manou was dropped from the South Australian team in 2006-07 but fought back to win a prized berth on Australia's 2009 Ashes tour of England and national one-day selection last October in India. "Tamsyn is one of the main reasons why the last few years have been so good to me," said Manou, who proposed to middle-distance queen Lewis just before his charity ride from Adelaide to Perth last month. "It is just the fact that I had someone close by that understands every little up and down you have in a professional career. "It has been bloody great." Manou, renowned as a hard-nosed competitor, offered an insight into his softer side in explaining a proposal to blonde-bombshell Lewis that would put most blokes to shame. "I put together an empty photo album but with the message saying I hoped we could fill it together and asked her to marry me," revealed Manou, who has been courting Lewis for four years having already been long-term friends. "The best part about it was that I fooled her - not a lot gets past her. "I had to think of something good after all these years of making her wait." |