SAEDNEWS: Team China badminton player Huang Yaqiong got engaged to teammate Liu Yuchen after she won a gold medal at the 2024 Paris Olympics.
According to SAEDNEWS, Huang Yaqiong experienced an unforgettable moment at the 2024 Olympics, one that went far beyond just winning a gold medal.
On August 2, after clinching the top prize in badminton mixed doubles alongside partner Zheng Siwei in Paris, Huang was taken by surprise when fellow teammate Liu Yuchen got down on one knee and proposed to her right there on the court.
"I can't even begin to describe the happiness I feel—I'm just happy, happy, happy," Huang shared with Olympics.com. "Winning the gold medal is a recognition of all the hard work we've put into our journey."
At 30 years old, Huang was visibly emotional as she accepted the proposal, with fans at the La Chapelle Arena cheering in support. In a delightful twist, she admitted she had no idea the proposal was coming.
"I was completely taken aback by the engagement ring," she said. "I’ve been so focused on my training to become an Olympic champion; I never expected this."
As for their future plans, Huang has yet to decide how they will celebrate this significant milestone. "I haven’t thought that far ahead yet," she said.
Previously, Huang and Zheng had won a silver medal in mixed doubles at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, a competition that also saw Zheng's own engagement. He noted that Huang's experience now is even more special: "I think she'll be happier this time around. Last time was just about my proposal, but this time, it's double the joy."
Interestingly, Huang and Liu are not the only couple to announce their engagement during this year’s Games. Pablo Simonet, a men's handball player from Argentina, proposed to Maria Campoy, a member of the women’s hockey team, in the Olympic Village before the Games kicked off. "The woman of my life said yes," Pablo shared on Instagram, translated from Spanish, "in the dream place where it all began and where we fought so hard to be."
