As one who wrote quite a bit about the potential for disaster in these Olympics, I can say that most of it has been a pleasant surprise thus far.
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China’s diver Qin Kai, left, proposes to silver medalist He Zhi of the women’s 3-meter springboard diving finals in the Maria Lenk Aquatic Center at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Sunday, Aug. 14, 2016. And though silver wasn’t the ultimate prize in the diving well, He might have gotten an even bigger prize on the awards podium: her boyfriend Qin Kai (himself a Chinese diver in Rio) gave her a ring.
Now imagine having the love of your life drop down on a knee, look you in the eye and open a velvet box with a diamond ring inside.
While everyone is most likely happy for the newly-engaged couple, some netizens questioned whether it was appropriate for Qin to interrupt He’s moment, citing that the proposal downplays the celebration of He’s athlete accomplishment. The crowd cheered and endorsed the match, so did the global TV audience.
“I feel like it is a bit awkward”, said one Weibo user. They discreetly entwined then walked away arm in arm.
Shi Tingmao, speaking to reporters after her gold medal win in the same event, said she had knew about the proposal before the event, which Qin watched from the sidelines with the Chinese team.
On that occasion, Enya, who’s part of the staff at the games, coordinated the moment with friends who held heart-shaped balloons as she and Cerullo embraced. Italy’s Tania Cagnotto took bronze with 372.80 points.
He carried the red rose container to the medalists’ news conference along with her silver medal.
[Qin] said a lot of things there at the podium.
“We’ve been dating for over six years”, He said. In a ideal, movie-esque moment, the two shared a hug after she said yes with the camera swirling around the two and fans in the stands cheering them on. “It’s a great moment. Good luck to them and a happy life and a bright future for them”, Hussein Riyadh said.
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Being Italian, Cagnotto knows a thing or two about amore.
