‘He said yes’: Alice Finot breaks 3000m Euro record then proposes to boyfriend in Paris
- A video of the incident quickly went viral, and his yes surely helped her get over the disappointment of just missing out on a bronze medal
French runner Alice Finot will never forget the evening of August 7, 2024.
Because that was the night she broke the European record in the 3000 metres steeplechase final and then proposed to her boyfriend in front a watching crowd at the Stade de France.
A video of the incident quickly went viral, and his yes surely helped her get over the disappointment of just missing out on a bronze medal.
Finot’s time of eight minutes, 58.67 seconds was enough to see her finish fourth in the race but set a new European record, with Bahrain’s Winfred Yavi winning the gold medal with a new Olympic record time of 8:52.76.
After the race, Finot approached her boyfriend – Spanish triathlete Bruno Martinez Bargelia – and handed him a pin which read “Love is in Paris” rather than a ring.
“I told myself that if I ran under nine minutes, knowing that nine is my lucky number and we have been together nine years, then I would propose,” Finot told reporters afterwards. “I don’t like doing things the same way as everyone else.