How Paris 2024 became the ‘most romantic Olympic Games ever’ as 11 athletes get engaged (and these other love stories have fans in tears)

It’s known all over the world as the ‘City of Love’ – and Paris certainly lived up to this reputation during the most recent Olympics.

Last month, over 10,700 athletes travelled to the French capital to take part in the two-week sporting extravaganza, which came to an official close last night.

But while 285 walked away from this Olympic Games as gold medal holders, nine are returning home with something equally as life-changing: a fiancé.

Last night, Tony Estanguet – President of the Paris 2024 Organising Committee – revealed that this year’s Olympics broke the record for the most proposals.

Addressing the 70,000 fans at the Stade de France stadium, Tony said: ‘Here in Paris we have broken a new record that is very close to our hearts: the most marriage proposals ever at an Olympic Games. These feelings of hope, inspiration and love will remain.’

After finishing the 3,000m steeplechase with a new personal best, French runner Alice Finot popped the question to her adoring boyfriend – who had been cheering her on from the crowds.

Meanwhile, American rower Justin Best – who won gold in Men’s Coxless Four – celebrated by proposing to his girlfriend Lainey Duncan in front of the Eiffel Tower.

What’s more, Chinese badminton player Liu Yuchen also got down on one knee after his girlfriend Zheng Siwei won gold in the mixed doubles. 

Over the weekend, one sports fan wrote on X: ‘I feel like everyone got the memo that the Paris Olympics should be the most romantic games ever. Jane Austen level love confessions and support from partners.’ 

Another added: ‘This year’s Olympic is just filled with so many love scenes, I have cried out my eyes. It feels like I am reading a romance novel , my goodnes! To crown it all , all these are happening in the City of Love.’

Here FEMAIL takes a look back at the enchanting love stories that have enthralled sports fans over the past two weeks – from the ex-couple winning gold to the ‘Olympics version’ of Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce.

‘I got the Gold and the girl!’ 

On 2 August, Justin Best and his Team USA teammates Nick Mead, Michael Grady and Liam Corrigan won Gold in the Men’s Coxless Four.

Three days later, the rower pulled off an elaborate proposal in front of the Eiffel Tower, which was broadcast on The Today Show in the US. 

The happy couple were surrounded by loved ones, who were holding precisely 2,777 roses, which represented how many days they’ve known each other.

Justin also chose the specific shade of yellow to represent their Snapchat ‘streak’, meaning they’ve sent messages on the app everyday for over nine years. 

Speaking to Bustle, the Olympian explained: ‘For seven-and-a-half years, Snapchat been our main form of communication and it makes the distance so much easier. 

‘I feel like sending Snaps lets us talk with pictures and truly share our days with one another in a way texts just can’t.’ 

The couple were both students at at Unionville High School in Pennsylvania in 2015 and met while they were starring in a high school production.

On their first date, Justin says he told Lainey of his plans to go to the Olympics one day.

Speaking to People, Justin added: ‘We have gone through everything in our adult lives together and I have seen her grow into an amazing woman and she has guided me into the man I am today.

‘I am so happy I get to spend the rest of my life with this amazing human, and hopefully raise a family together.

‘I got the gold and the girl, and she got the diamond.’ 

From steeplechase to church steeple! 

French 3,000m steeplechase athlete Alice Finot celebrated breaking the European record by proposing to her partner at the Stade de France after crossing the finish line. 

Finot came fourth in a highly competitive race won by current world champion Winfred Yavi of Bahrain, but managed to record an impressive personal best of eight minutes and 58.67seconds. 

But with one goal completed, the 33-year-old had another in her sights as she made her way to the stands. 

Cheered on by the home fans inside the cauldron in Paris, Finot hugged her partner – fellow athlete Bruno Martínez Bargiela – before getting down on one knee. 

The Olympian proposed with an pin instead of a ring, much to the surprise of Bargiela, and Finot later explained that she had been prompted by a fortunate piece of numerology. 

‘I told myself that if I ran under nine minutes, knowing that nine is my lucky number and that we’ve been together for nine years, then I would propose,’ Finot said in the mixed zone after her race. 

‘I don’t like doing things like everyone else. Since he hadn’t done it yet, I told myself that maybe it was up to me to do it. 

‘So, I gave a pin that I ran with to my boyfriend. On it, it says: Love is in Paris. 

‘He’s the one who always gives me strength and if I managed to get under nine minutes, that meant a lot.’

Finot confirmed that ‘he said yes’ to her proposal, and was similarly delighted with her performance on the track. 

‘I really had a blast, I managed to express myself,’ the Frenchwoman added. 

‘It was just a tiny bit (that was) missing to get a medal, I’m sorry. But I don’t regret anything.’  

‘I’m an Olympic champion and a fiancé!’

After coming out on top in the badminton mixed doubles competition with partner Zheng Siwei, there were double celebrations for Huang Ya Qiong when her boyfriend Liu Yuchen got down on one knee and popped the question.

Liu was waiting for Huang with flowers following the medal presentation, but surprised her when he dropped to the floor and pulled out a ring to propose. 

A visibly shocked Huang said yes to her partner – who was representing China in the badminton men’s doubles – and burst into tears after the romantic gesture.

‘For me, the proposal is very surprising because I have been preparing for the game,’ Huang told reporters through an interpreter. 

‘Today I am an Olympic champion and I got proposed (to), so that’s something I didn’t expect,’ the athlete added. 

She and Zheng beat South Korea’s Kim Won-ho and Jeong Na-eun 21-8, 21-11 in mixed doubles to cap an unbeaten run in Paris. 

Huang and Zheng, silver medalists at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021, went 3-0 in group play to earn the top seed in the quarterfinals. They finished the tournament 6-0 without losing a game in the process. 

(Shot) put a ring on it! 

However, Justin Best wasn’t the only member of Team USA who had a romantic plan this Olympics.

Payton Otterdahl – who came fourth in the shot put – got down on one knee in front of the Eiffel Tower.

In pictures shared on his Instagram, Payton can be seen presenting long-time girlfriend Maddy Niles with a ring in a little black box – as she puts a loving hand on his arm.

After Maddy accepted his proposal, the couple kissed in front of the City of Love’s most recognisable landmark.

The Olympian captioned his Instagram post: ‘Meanwhile, in the City of Love… I love you forever, Maddy Nilles!’

Sharing highlights from the trip on her social media, Maddy added: ‘Merci beaucoup Paris!’ 

‘More beautiful than I could have dreamed!’ 

Alessia Maurelli will no doubt always remember 10 August 2024 as the day she won an Olympic bronze medal in rhythmic gymnastics.

But it was also the day her boyfriend Massimo popped the question. 

After finding out she had won bronze, Massimo appeared from the sidelines and proposed with a stunning diamond engagement ring.

Alessia said: ‘It’s a very strange day. I think it’s maybe one of the most beautiful days of my life. I will remember it forever, and I’m very happy. 

‘This ring and this medal smell of the future and I’m very happy to live this with my best friends, teammates, and with my future husband.’

Posting on Instagram, she added: ‘I said yes. More beautiful than I dreamed as a child.’ 

‘That’s how to propose!’ 

Athletics wasn’t exempt from the romantic trend that took the 2024 Olympics by storm either. 

Although he missed out on a podium position, Almir dos Santos – who finished 11th in the men’s triple jump final – made it a day to remember by proposing to his stunned girlfriend on the track.

Footage broadcast by the BBC showed Almir down on one knee as his girlfriend covered her face with her hands and began to cry.

After she accepted, Almir put the ring on her finger and the two shared an affectionate embrace.

‘That’s how to do it, bro,’ one viewer wrote on X.

 Another added: ‘Well done!!’

‘The most romantic thing I’ve ever seen!’ 

Earlier this month, Swedish pole vaulter Armand ‘Mondo’ Duplantis sent fans wild with his romantic reaction to setting a new world record.

Duplantis saw off silver medalist Sam Kendricks of the USA and Greece’s Emmanouil Karalis – who took bronze – before clearing 6.10m at the first attempt.

That saw the 24-year-old beat Thiago Braz’s Olympic record of 6.03m from Rio 2016 before he took on his own world record of 6.24m – set in April.

The Louisiana-born Swedish-American immediately rose from the mat and sprinted towards the stands. He leapt into the air and then embraced his girlfriend, model Desire Inglander. 

The pair kissed as fans celebrated around them before Duplantis was mobbed by his Sweden teammates.

The 24-year-old was so fired up while hugging one of his countrymen that the pair began shoving and even punching each other in the chest.

Following the heartwarming exchange, one viewer wrote on X: ‘Today’s Olympic crush is Swedish pole vaulter Mondo Duplantis.’ 

What’s more, fans on TikTok have edited the romantic to footage of Taylor Swift’s ‘The Alchemy’, which fans believe is about her football-playing boyfriend Travis Kelce.

A video of Mondo’s world record set to the Taylor song has amassed over 9m views and the caption: ‘When life imitates art.’ 

Another gushed on TikTok: ‘The way he knew exactly where she was and immediately started running to her, he didn’t celebrate one millisecond without her.’ 

A third added: ‘Why is this the most romantic thing I have ever seen??’

‘The way he looked at her even before he started running,’ a third say.

Love. Set. Match?

The Olympic mixed doubles tennis champions shared a kiss to celebrate clinching gold, just weeks after the pair broke up as a real-life couple.

Czech duo Katerina Siniakova and Tomas Machac beat Chinese pair Zhang Zhizhen and Wang Xinyu 6-2 5-7 10-8 to win the event in Paris.

The couple, who had been dating since 2020, announced their split last month during the Prague Open but insisted they would still compete as a team at the Olympics despite their off-court problems.

Siniakova said: ‘Yes, of course. It’s a private matter, but of course we will play together. We are professionals.’

Now fans are going wild after the seemingly reconciliatory moment and are speculating whether the pair might be getting back together.

Bastien Fachan took to X to fuel the rumours of a possible reuniting, sarcastically remarking: ‘Yep, Machac and Siniakova are definitely broken up.’

He then added: ‘Normalize winning Olympic gold to rekindle your relationship’s spark.’

One user replied: ‘We all need to participate in an Olympics to spice up our relationships sometimes.’

Another suggested that their relationship hinged on success at the Games, posting: ‘ ‘She said ‘you’ve got to help me win the Olympic gold medal to win me back’ and he delivered.’

Meanwhile, one social media user added: ‘It’s so poetic if they really had broken up and these last days of winning and getting the gold eventually brought them back together.’

Not many couples could overcome a breakup as public as theirs but the duo’s victory was in fact highly tipped, with Siniakova in particular one of the best doubles players in the world.

The 28-year-old bagged gold in the women’s doubles in Tokyo three years ago with partner Barbora Krejcikova and the pair have seven Grand Slam trophies in their collection, including Wimbledon titles in 2018 and 2022.

This summer, the Czech secured another win at the All England Club with new partner Taylor Townsend, from the US.

‘You’re an Olympic champion now!’ 

Last week, Team USA Tara Davis-Woodhall and her husband Hunter Woodhall sent social media alight over their heartwarming reaction to her long jump Gold medal win.

Hunter – who is a double amputee runner – was filming shouting ‘come on baby’ and ‘let it rip’ from the stands.

In the moments after Tara’s jump, Hunter – who was wearing a ‘Team Tara’ t-shirt – was seen rushing to the front of the stands and saying: ‘Oh my God. Oh my God.

‘Baby, you’re the Olympic champion! Oh my God, you did it!’

Tara then leapt into his arms as Hunter continued to shout: ‘You did it!’

The heartwarming moment went viral on X – with one writing: ‘I swear he is happier than she is.

‘I got all weepy watching him. Love is beautiful.’ 

 Another added: ‘Relationship GOALS!’

‘That is so awesome,’ a third said. ‘It made me so emotional. Beautiful love!’ 

‘Disney is absolutely about to make these two a movie,’ a fourth said. 

Love in the line out

Love was clearly in the air for Team USA as rugby player Alev Kelter also proposed to her girlfriend at the Paris Olympics.

The Olympian got down on one knee at Paris’ Museum of Modern Art and organised for Team USA skateboarder Heimana Reynolds to capture the moment.

The skateboarder wrote on Instagram: ‘I have never done any sort of proposal photography but when Alev  told me her plan and asked me if I would like capture this moment, I felt absolutely honored. 

‘I am so thankful to Alev and the Kelter family for welcoming me in and trusting me to capture this once in a lifetime moment. I am so happy for you guys.’

Footage from the special day shows Alev walking up the steps to the museum and being handed the ring box by a friend.

As friends and family watched on, Alev got down on one knee and proposed to a visibly shocked Kathryn Treder, who is also a rugby player. 

Ahead of their engagement, Kathryn gushed on Instagram: ‘I’m so beyond proud of my Olympic medalist and all that she has accomplished.

‘Alev, you’ve been grinding, fighting, and putting your head where people don’t want to put their feet. Your hard work, dedication, and perseverance has payed off in the most incredible way. 

‘Now, you get to add a bronze olympic medal to the long list of your incredible accomplishments!’

Sailing into the next chapter!

In 2021, Charline Picon and Sarah Steyaert’s boyfriends promised to propose if the sailing team members secured gold or silver medals in the Paris Olympics.

Although the French sailors took home a bronze, both their partners still popped the question as they arrived back on the beach in Marseille.

During an Olympics press conference, Sarah explained: ‘Our boyfriends said at the beginning of the project that if we won a medal, we would be engaged, but mine said, ‘Only gold or silver,’ so after the medal race, I said, ‘Okay so I will not be engaged.”

She added: ‘Of course, we had to say yes!’ 

Charline added: ‘It was an amazing moment on the beach.’

Her partner Jean-Emmanuel Mestre added: ‘She plans to retire now!’