Patrick and Brigitte Hylton, a picture of happiness. - Winston Sill/Freelance Photographer

EVER SINCE they wed, the question on everyone's lips has been how did Patrick Hylton, group managing director of the National Commercial Bank, meet national hurdles record holder Brigitte Foster Hylton?

This hot couple met only after Patrick had worked very hard to close the deal. "He was in Miami, Florida, watching the Sydney, Australia Olympics, when he saw me competing. He told his cousin, 'That's a cute girl. I like her and I want to meet her.' His cousin told him to dream on, but he insisted he was going to meet her," said Brigitte.

"I had just mover back home from the United States and one day I was at training at the National Stadium and he was at the Spartan Gym. A mutual friend who knew he liked me called and told him where I was, and told him that was his chance. He left the gym, drove over to the Stadium, but told me subsequently that he got cold feet, just peeped at me training, decided not to interrupt and left without my knowing he was there.

"His next move was to ask someone from the track fraternity to set up a meeting between us. I had just come out of a relationship and was not interested in meeting anyone. So when I heard, I just said, 'Tell him I'm not interested.' I even offered to introduce him to a girlfriend, but he said he wanted to meet me - not my friend.

Months passed.

He still waited.

He is a persistent guy.

Six months later, he sent me another message and this time I agreed to meet him. On that first date, he took me to The Gap, a restaurant in the hills of St. Andrew. The drive seemed long. But it was a memorable occasion and I realised that I liked him too. Four years later, we were married."

The Hyltons keep their romance alive by reserving Sundays for themselves and family. He is very understanding of her busy schedule and she his. And they will start a family when things cool down.