Melbourne, Jan 30 : Ace swimmer Amanda Beard has denied being romantically involved with Ian Thorpe.

According to Daily Telegraph, Beard's agent Evan Morganstein has rubbished the reports that the couple was in a relationship.

"It''s baloney," News. com. au quoted Morganstein as saying.

Rumours of their romance started off during the 2004 Olympics in Athens.

"I was there at the (Athens) Olympics, she is one of my best friends, it never happened," he said.

"They were friends. She and Thorpe were never anything more and to suggest otherwise was "hogwash, nonsense".

"I don''t know that Ian and her ever had a conversation about being anything other than friends, it''s not that she doesn''t think he''s not a nice guy, it just never happened," he added.

Beard, who has been labelled the sexiest swimmer in the world, is now engaged to be married to photographer Sacha Brown. (ANI)