Paralympian Lionel Morales Gonzalez proposed to his girlfriend, Jes, at the Olympic and Paralympic Village — and she said yes!
In footage shared via the Paralympic Games’ X account on Thursday, August 29, the Spanish para triathlete took Jes’ hand, pulled out a ring box and kneeled. Jes covered her face in surprise and hugged Gonzalez as onlookers looked on and threw what appeared to be condoms at the happy couple. (Condoms are given out to athletes at the Olympic Village.) Gonzalez then stood and shared a kiss with his fiancée as the Goo Goo Dolls’ song “Iris” played in the background.
“Proposal at the Paralympic Village! 🏡💍Huge congratulations to para triathlete Lionel Morales Gonzalez and his soon-to-be wife Jes,” the video’s caption read. “Lionel proposed outside the dining hall and Jes said yes! ❤️”
The Spanish Paralympic Committee also shared a video of the proposal via Instagram. The clip showed Jes and Gonzalez having their photo taken together before Gonzalez took his girlfriend’s hand.
While the official NBC Olympics & Paralympics’ X page noted that Gonzales and Jes’ big moment was the first proposal of the Paris Paralympics, there were other engagements at this year’s Olympic Games.
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Chinese badminton star Huang Yaqiong’s fellow Olympian and men’s doubles player Liu Yuchen proposed earlier this month moments after she accepted her gold medal for the badminton mixed doubles final with partner Zheng Siwei. Huang accepted the proposal as the crowd applauded.
“I cannot describe the feeling I have because I am happy, happy, happy,” Huang said, 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.”
Italian rhythmic gymnast Alessia Maurelli also got engaged immediately after leaving the podium. She won a bronze medal in the group-around-comPetition on August 10 and then said “yes” to Partner Massimo Bertelloni’s proposal.
“I can’t believe it,” Maurelli told Olympics.com. “It’s a very strange day. I think it’s maybe one of the most beautiful days of my life. I will remember it forever, and I’m very happy. This ring and this medal smell of the future and I’m very happy to live this with my best friends, teaMMAtes and with my future husband.”
While fans are generally supportive of proposals like Gonzalez’s, some aren’t sure what to think of men popping the question right after their partners’ big moments.
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Grab This Best-Selling Fall Sweater Top While it’s Still 20% off for Labor Day! View Deal“It’s the most selfish thing ever. Proposing in a moment where you’re supposed to be celebrating your partner,” one X user wrote after Huang’s engagement. “You’re minimizing their moment and making it about yourself instead. Lazy and Selfish. You should plan a separate special event for the sole purpose of proposing.”
However, another fan argued, “I thought proposals were supposed to happen at the highlights of ur life? Whether he creates the highlight or it’s already there wouldn’t u want to feel like ‘this is the best day ever’ [type of] vibe? How is it about him when the proposal is for u?”
You can watch the 2024 Paris Paralympics, which kicked off on Wednesday, August 28, on NBC, USA Network, CNBC and Peacock
