Olympic gold-medalist Evan Lysacek unveils secret love

[HMG] – If you’re one of the legions enduring insomnia to get your Olympics fix, here comes some heart-warming back-story; Evan Lysacek, who trounced Evgeni Plushenko to win skating gold Thursday has confessed he’s in love.

Now the first American male skater to score gold since Brian Boitano in the 1988 games in Seoul, Chicago-born Lysacek, 24, has also found love in high places — with balance-beam gymnast and fellow gold-medalist, Nastia Luikin.

The couple first encountered each other during an NBC sports show in 2008, but have only been dating since sometime last Summer;

“We became good friends and have become really close since then,” Evan tells People.

With their connection established, Evan traveled to Dallas in August to cheer 20-year old Nastia on at the US Nationals, which served as her comeback from a premature retirement;

“It was nerve-racking watching her compete,” he now admits. “For me, it’s easier to do it then watch it.”

Nastia then returned the support, traveling to Vancouver to witness Evan win gold; “To see his dreams come true was amazing,” she says. “It was nice to be on the other side and be the support system, but I was really nervous.”

Evan’s win, however, was not all smooth-sailing — The Russians complained he’d shown less ‘bravado’ than their guy, and they should have won. The Judges, however, soon shot that down in flames.

“I think he’s handling it well,” says Russian-born Nastia, who now lives in Texas. “You work hard all year and when something like that happens, it crushes you. Evan was a little upset but I told him, ‘You’ve worked your entire life and you achieved the biggest reward in your sport, so enjoy it.’ “

So they did – and the party’s still on: It started at the USA House in Vancouver late Thursday, with friends, family and members of the US Olympic Committee. Then on Saturday, Evan and Nastia joined a birthday party for Evan’s father and uncle, who are identical twins.

But away from all the Jello and Kool Aid, the pair share time when they can in a more relaxed style;

“We hang out, go to dinner and movie, and lay low,” admits Liukin. “We have similar personalities — we’re both laid back.”

I’ll bet Plushenko isn’t these days…