Morreale, Malar may tie the knot

By TONY MARASCHIELLO -- Toronto Sun

Mike Morreale's receiving exploits earned him top Canadian honours in the CFL in 1998. A year later, the talented slotback won a Grey Cup ring with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats.

However, Morreale's biggest catch could come later this year should he and longtime sweetheart and Olympic swimmer Joanne Malar decide to tie the knot.

"It's something we've discussed," said Morreale, who along with Malar, was a head-table guest at the 49th annual Conn Smythe Sports Celebrities Dinner and Auction last night. "But we want to wait until after the Olympics (in September) before making any decisions."

Morreale, 28, and Malar, 24, started dating seriously last October and easily form Canada's best-looking athletic couple.

MALAR-VELOUS

"We met each other seven years ago and were real good friends at the start," said Morreale, who wears a T-shirt bearing the word Malar-velous under his jersey during the season. "I was in my fourth year at (McMaster University in Hamilton) and she was starting her first. We had this crush for each other and we just hit it off."

Today, Morreale and Malar plan to fly back to Calgary, where Malar will continue training for her third and likely final Olympics.

"I've never actually seen one of her races live," said Morreale, who will accompany Malar to the world short-course championships in Athens next month. "It's real difficult with her training schedule to make time to see each other. But we make the best of it."

Malar -- ranked No. 1 in the world in the 200-metre individual medley and No. 2 in the 400 -- said she and Morreale have a lot in common since both are elite athletes. While she doesn't want to look too far ahead, she can envision a life with Morreale.

"We talk about it all the time," Malar said. "We always talk about what our kids would look like. If things continue this way, I can see it happening."