Paris: China badminton player Huang Ya Qiong is living the dream. A gold medal at the Olympics was Qiong’s goal, but a diamond was a surprise that was the icing on the cake.
Qiong experienced a double victory at the Paris 2024 Olympics, winning a gold in the mixed doubles and receiving a surprise marriage proposal. Huang, alongside her mixed doubles partner Zheng Si Wei, remained undefeated throughout the tournament, securing the top seed in the quarterfinals and finishing with a flawless 6-0 record.
After their win on the court, the celebrations continued in a heartwarming moment at La Chapelle Arena. Following the medal ceremony, Huang’s Olympic teammate and men’s doubles player, Liu Yuchen, presented her with a bouquet of flowers before getting down on one knee and proposing. An emotional Huang accepted, and the crowd erupted in cheers as Liu placed the ring on her finger.
“I cannot describe the feeling I have because I am happy, happy, happy,” she told Olympics.com.“I was surprised by the engagement ring. I’ve been focusing on training to become an Olympic champion. I never expected it.”
This memorable proposal follows another Olympic love story from earlier in the games. Just before the Paris Olympics began, Argentinian field hockey player Maria Campoy received a proposal from her boyfriend, Pablo Simonet, a handball player for Argentina. The romantic gesture took place at the Olympic Village near the River Seine, adding to the celebration of love and sport at the Paris Games.
