From steeplechase to church steeple! French athletics star PROPOSES to her boyfriend after smashing European 3,000m steeplechase record at Paris Games

French 3,000m steeplechase athlete Alice Finot celebrated breaking the European record on Tuesday evening 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. 

The Frenchwoman later shared auspicious reason why she chose to do so at Stade de France

Finot smashed the European record for 3,000m steeplechase after finishing fourth on Tuesday

‘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.’  

The 33-year-old said that she ‘had a blast’ competing in the event in front of the home crowd

Hers is the second athlete proposal on the heels of Chinese badminton players Huang Ya Qiong (left) and Liu Yuchen

The pair became engaged after Huang’s gold medal triumph in the mixed doubles last week

Finot is the second athlete to become engaged on the heels of a momentous Olympic triumph, after Chinese mixed doubles badminton star Huang Ya Qiong was proposed to by her boyfriend after winning gold with partner Zheng Siwei. 

Liu Yuchen – who represents China in the men’s doubles in the sport – was waiting with a bouquet of flowers in the wings for Huang to enjoy her medal ceremony, before her got down on one knee and presented the player with a ring. 

‘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.