It was a day of golden moments for China’s badminton star Huang Ya Qiong at the 2024 Paris Olympics, as she secured both a gold medal and a diamond ring.
On Friday, August 2, the 30-year-old athlete and her partner Zheng Siwei earned the gold in the badminton mixed doubles final against South Korean duo Kim Won-ho and Jeong Na-eun. The victory, held at La Chapelle Arena, was a triumphant moment for the pair, who had previously taken silver at the Tokyo Olympics.
But the celebration didn’t end there. Shortly after the medal ceremony, Huang’s fellow Olympian and men’s doubles player Liu Yuchen took the spotlight with an unforgettable gesture. Liu surprised Huang with a bouquet of flowers, then got down on one knee to propose.
Overcome with emotion, Huang tearfully accepted the proposal, and the crowd erupted in applause as Liu slipped the ring onto her finger.
“I cannot describe the feeling I have because I am happy, happy, happy,” said Huang per the official Olympics website. “Getting the gold medal is recognition of our journey. I was surprised by the engagement ring. I’ve been focusing on training to become an Olympic champion. I never expected it. I haven’t thought about how we will celebrate.”
The proposal came after Huang and Zheng went 3-0 in group play to earn the top seed in the quarterfinals. They finished the tournament 6-0 without losing a Game in the process.
In a contrasting tale from the Games, Italian high jumper Gianmarco Tamberi took to social media to apologize for losing his wedding ring.
The 32-year-old, married to Chiara Bontempi Temberi, 29, for nearly two years, lost his cherished ring in the Seine River while carrying Italy’s flag during the 2024 Paris Olympics Opening Ceremony.
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Tamberi shared the announcement through a series of photos. He began with images from his wedding to Chiara, showing him kissing her on the cheek and the couple displaying their wedding rings. He also included a picture from the opening ceremony, where he waved Italy’s flag on the team’s boat, noticeably without his gold band. The final image appeared to be an AI-generated depiction of him reaching out for a falling golden ring.
Despite the loss, Tamberi ended his message with a hopeful note, aiming to secure a gold medal to make up for the mishap.
