Romance strikes Olympic Games as Chinese divers get engaged in Rio

A couple of Chinese divers put on one of the most romantic scenes in the Olympic history, with a marriage proposal in front of thousands of people at the Maria Lenk Aquatics Center here on Sunday.

After winning the silver medal in the women's 3m springboard, Chinese diver He Zi was surprised to see her boyfriend, Qin Kai, step forward.

Qin, who won the bronze in Rio in the men's synchronized 3m springboard, made a beautiful speech, got down on one knee, and asked He in marriage, giving her a diamond ring and a red box containing a flower.

He Zi burst into tears but gladly accepted, as cheers and applause came from the spectators, the officials and their fellow competitors.

Speaking to the press immediately afterwards, while sporting her engagement ring, He Zi could not hide her emotion.

"I don't know why he proposed today. I wasn't expecting to get married so soon," she said, adding that she noticed some strange behavior by her boyfriend of six years earlier in the day.

"I met him at noon and overheard him mumbling. I asked him what it was but he just replied that he was singing," said the diver.

He Zi's teammate, Shi Tingmao, who took the gold in the 3m springboard, had known the proposal was coming.

"I am very happy for them, as in recent years, whether in their sports career or in their relationship, they have been under great pressure," Shi commented.

This is the second proposal during the Olympics after Brazilian rugby sevens player, Isadora Cerullo, proposed to her girlfriend, Marjorie Enya, on the pitch on Tuesday. Endit