Ah love, love. In the Games that began to the tune of Edith Piaf’s anthem – with the astonishing voice of Celine Dion – in a more romantic than Olympic Paris there was the triumph of couple happiness: kisses, hugs and marriage proposals. “Elle a dit oui!” they exult in the arenas, in the arenas, in the streets that have given vows of eternal love. Alessia Maurelli said yesthird Olympics and bronze with the Italian rhythmic gymnasts: when the judges gave their verdict, the gymnast found herself at the Arena La Chapelle her boyfriend Massimo Bertelloni on one knee and with the ring. Tears, kisses and proposal accepted. After all, the most romantic city in the world could not help but offer itself to love and even in the Olympic weeks it did not fail to follow its natural inclination.
Wedding in sight in Chinese badminton team: Huang Yaqiong from the City of Light brings back the medal and the diamond that her fiancénow future husband Zheng Siwei, gave her after the mixed doubles final. Proposal for two in sailing for the skippers French Charline Picon and Sarah Steyaertbronze in the 49er FX: the respective boyfriends proposed at the end of the race. And always among the hosts the athlete Alice Finotwho finished at the foot of the podium in the 3000m steeplechase but with a European record time, followed up on her feat: at the Stade de France she went to hug her partner, knelt down and asked him to marry her, complete with the words l’amour est à Paris. A question of rings, starting with the one (the wedding ring) lost by Gianmarco Tamberi in the Seine while he was waving the Italian flag in the opening ceremony. An episode that would not have turned out to be auspicious given the shocking epilogue of the Games for the high jump champion. But for Gimbo, the entire transition to the Games was studded with phrases of love and renewed promises to his Chiara.
After the silver in the 10-meter pistol, Federico Nilo Maldini asked his Carlotta Bozzano to marry him. But marriage proposals aside, in these weeks of competition the red thread of love has united sports and countries: Games of passionate hugs and kisses. Like that of Alice Bellandi, gold in judo to her girlfriend Jasmine. The passionate one of Novak Djokovic who after the gold and tears at Roland Garros ran to kiss his wife Jelena. And again the kiss of Nicolò Martinenghi to his girlfriend Adelaide after the gold in the 100 breaststroke. There is the congratulatory kiss between Tom Daley and his diving partner Noah Williams, the kisses to the French swimmer Charlotte Bonnet from her teammates, and again the kisses between the rugby players of the New Zealand team. Simone Biles’ parents kissed in the stands at the umpteenth feat of the gymnast prodigy, the pole vault king Duplantis with his model girlfriend Desirèè, the tender kiss of the US volleyball player Smith to his little Amelia. Paola Egonu also celebrates the triumph of volleyball by hugging her ‘boyfriend Leonardo. Originally the kiss that caused so much discussion between President Emmanuel Macron and the Minister of Sport Amelie Oudea-Castera. Kisses and many also between competing athletes: Gregorio Paltrinieri and Rossella Fiamingo, also chosen as flag bearers for Italy in the closing ceremony, have been together for three years and in Paris they competed at the same time. While she won the team gold in the epee, he took the bronze in the 800 freestyle. And judokas Gabriella Willems and the Italian Christian Parlati also competed on the same day. The Games bid farewell, but love remains. Let’s hope.