Chinese diver He Zi had a day to remember, first winning an Olympic medal and then receiving a surprise marriage proposal *during* her podium presentation.
The 25-year-old had won silver in the 3m women’s springboard final on Sunday when her boyfriend – and fellow Chinese diver Qin Kai – popped the big question during the presentation.
The crowd at Maria Lenk Aquatics Centre was on tenterhooks as a rather large amount of time passed for He to come up with her answer.
What a day for Chinese diver He Zi. A silver medal in the Women's 3m springboard followed by a marriage proposal! https://t.co/BwPpZS8JS8
— RTÉ Sport (@RTEsport) August 14, 2016
Thankfully, she accepted Qin’s proposal and the pair embraced to a huge ovation.
“This morning, I walked into a room and I found him reciting something,” said He according to the BBC . “I asked him what he was doing and he said he was singing. I just didn’t know that he was practising proposing.
Having someone propose to you during one of the biggest moments of your life is a rather ballsy move.
To some people on social media, Qin Kai’s proposal was inappropriately timed:
let her have her moment, mate. maybe let your girlfriend – who is better than you at diving, btw, the one job you do – have some solo glory.
— Sam Diss (@SamDiss) August 15, 2016
My horror at public proposals reached its peak when He Zi won a silver medal for diving & her boyfriend proposed when she was on the podium.
— Dr Charlotte Lydia Riley (@lottelydia) August 15, 2016
https://twitter.com/marcusjdl/status/764964028632498176
https://twitter.com/hansmollman/status/765117554117472256
But to others, it’s just a lovely romantic gesture and we shouldn’t be annoyed that two people have promised themselves to each other.
https://twitter.com/asaphoon/status/765031796656353280
“He said a lot of things there at the podium”, added the silver medalist. “He made a lot of promises, but the thing that has touched me the most is that I think this is the guy I can trust for the rest of my life.”
Congratulations to them both. Hopefully Qin Kai can work on his timing as he prepares to be a husband.
