Olympics fencer accepts marriage proposal from coach in front of TV cameras

Argentine fencer Maria Belen Perez Maurice hugs her coach of 17 years, Lucas Guillermo Saucedo, after he proposed marriage to her on the sidelines of the Olympic fencing. Picture: Sakura Murakami/Reuters

Argentine fencer Maria Belen Perez Maurice hugs her coach of 17 years, Lucas Guillermo Saucedo, after he proposed marriage to her on the sidelines of the Olympic fencing. Picture: Sakura Murakami/Reuters

Published Jul 26, 2021

Share

Tokyo, Japan - Argentine fencer Maria Belen Perez Maurice accepted a marriage proposal from her long-term partner and coach in front of television cameras at the Olympics on Monday, the second time he had posed the question in similar fashion.

The athlete, after a first-round exit in her third Olympics, was disappointedly answering questions from reporters when her coach, Lucas Saucedo, appeared behind her with a piece of paper in his hand reading "Do you want to marry me?". He put one knee to the ground.

"Tell me yes, a lot of people are looking at us," he said.

— © (@tqpinfo) July 26, 2021

In 2010, Saucedo tried a similar stunt at the world championships in Paris, but with far less luck. Back then, she replied: "Is this a joke or what?"

Eleven years on, though, she said yes.

"I was speechless. I said to myself 'Oh my God'," said Perez Maurice, who has been in a relationship with Saucedo for 17 years. "We're going to celebrate it in Argentina around a big asado (a traditional barbecue)."

It was a great end to a day which started with a 15-12 loss to Hungarian Anna Marton in the women's sabre event.

On Sunday, Germany football forward Max Kruse successfully asked his girlfriend to marry him on live TV after his team's 3-2 win over Saudi Arabia.

Related Video:

* Click here for the latest Olympics news, schedules, results and medal rankings.

Related Topics: