PARIS, Aug 2 — The 2024 Paris Olympics will be forever special for China's badminton player Huang Yaqiong.
Winning the gold medal with Zheng Siwei for the badminton mixed doubles in style when they demolished South Korea's Kim Won-ho and Jeong Na-eun 21-8, 21-11 in just 41 was already a joyous occasion, given that the duo had avenged their final defeat in the Tokyo games.
The City of Love however was the setting for something special in the making as Huang's boyfriend Liu Yuchen, a men's doubles player who won silver in Tokyo three years ago and exited in the group stage in Paris, waited in the corner to watch the pair receive their medals at La Chapelle Arena .
Liu then presented Huang with a bunch of flowers before whipping out a ring and getting down on one knee, much to the delight of the fans in attendance, reported AFP.
Huang said the proposal was “very surprising” as the 30-year-old had been so focused on preparing for the match.
“Today I became an Olympic champion and I got engaged. I think the ring fits my finger really well.”
The proposal was viral fodder as videos showing the romantic gesture were widely circulated and shared.
"I’ll love you forever! Will you marry me?""Yes! I do!"OMG!!! Romance at the Olympics!!!Huang Yaqiong just had her "dream come true", winning a badminton mixed doubles gold medalwith her teammate Zheng SiweiThen her boyfriend Liu Yuchen proposed! pic.twitter.com/JxMIipF7ij
— Li Zexin (@XH_Lee23) August 2, 2024
A user on X even shared the medal tally table from Chinese social media platform Xiaohongshu that listed China's tally in Paris at 13 golds, seven silver, seven bronze — and one diamond ring.
They added the engagement ring count to Olympics medals table on Xiaohongshu, China's social media platform https://t.co/g81Y6iZdM7 pic.twitter.com/WxUim7n9i0
— Carl Zha (@CarlZha) August 2, 2024
Japan's Yuta Watanabe and Arisa Higashino took bronze after a 21-13, 22-20 win over South Korea's Seo Seung-jae and Chae Yu-jung.
China have topped the badminton medals table at the past six Olympics.
They are guaranteed another gold when Chen Qingchen and Jia Yifan take on Liu Shengshu and Tan Ning in an all-Chinese women's doubles final on Saturday.