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Surprise proposal steals the diving show

Xinhua, August 15, 2016 Adjust font size:

Do you feel love in the air?

Qin Kai, a Chinese diving bronze medalist, got down on one knee and proposed to He Zi, who minutes ago landed a silver medal in Sunday's women's springboard competition which was won by fellow Chinese Shi Tingmao.

He Zi was surprised. After a lengthy wait, she said "yes" to her boyfriend of six years.

Cheered on by the crowd, Qin took out a small box and slipped the ring on He's finger and gave her a red rose encased in glass.

While speaking to the press, He Zi couldn't hide her emotion.

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

"I met him at noon and overheard him talking to himself. I asked him what it was but he just said that he was singing," said He.

He's teammate Shi Tingmao, who claimed her second gold medal at Rio, had known the proposal was coming.

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

Shi finished with 406.5 points to beat He by 18.15 points at the Maria Lenk Aquatics Center. Italy's Tania Cagnotto was third with 372.80.

Shi and He were level after the first two dives before the former scored a competition-high 84 points in the third round. She didn't look back, comfortably securing China's eighth consecutive Olympic gold medal in the event.

He said Qin's marriage proposal made up the loss to her teammate in the pool.

"I couldn't be happier," she said.

He Zi could hardly remember the exact words in Qin's speech. "He said a lot of words and made a lot of promises. But I remember he said he would like to be bullied by me for the rest of his life."

Qin said the podium proposal was the bravest thing he has done in his life.

"I said to He Zi: I am asking you to marry me with the whole world watching. I hope we will get the blessing of the world. I love you. I want everyone to know that I love like crazy," Qin told reporters. Endit