Paralympian's proposal after 'exiting the darkness'

Italian sprinter Alessandro Ossola arrived astatine nan Paris 2024 Paralympics looking for a golden medal, but he will time off pinch “something amazing” aft proposing to his woman successful beforehand of tens of thousands of fans successful nan Stade de France connected Sunday.

At nan extremity of his race, conscionable aft missing a spot successful nan last of nan T63 100m, nan 36-year-old took nan opportunity for an unforgettable proposal.

He ran to his parents and woman Arianna successful nan stands, dropped to his knee and asked nan question.

“She answered maine ‘You’re crazy, you’re crazy’ and she kissed me, truthful it was breathtaking really,” Ossola told nan BBC World Service.

“I was unlucky, I didn’t execute nan last and I was really sad astir it. But aft 3 minutes, you cognize life is strange, I was really happy.”

This was a scheme much than a period successful nan making.

Ossola knew wherever he vanished successful his race, he had a batch much connected nan statement successful nan French superior than his result.

“I bought nan ring, past I gave it to my friend to bring to maine (at nan extremity of nan race),” he said.

“The Paralympics is for illustration an astonishing contest, an astonishing spot to do it and she was truthful beautiful.”

For Ossola, who lives successful Turin and first competed astatine Tokyo 2020, his connection had other significance, fixed his travel and a life of unthinkable loss.

A motorcycle mishap successful 2015 resulted successful nan decease of his first woman and meant Ossola had to person astir of his near limb amputated.

It was a clip wherever he says he could "see conscionable darkness" astir him.

"It’s a agelong journey, now I’m present I’m smiling," he added.

"I’m a affirmative feline but astatine nan opening [it] was a difficult time. But sports thief maine exit this darkness, this turmoil."

Ossola credits his Para-athletics training pinch helping him attraction connected nan future.

He hopes nan Paralympics tin do overmuch much successful improving perceptions astir disablement successful wider society.

“I don’t for illustration erstwhile nan group opportunity 'You are disabled, ah, you are going to Paralympics'.

"It’s not for illustration that. You are going to nan Paralympics if you are 1 of nan champion athletes successful nan world. This is why I americium proud to beryllium here."

For now, Ossola says his and Arianna's plans for nan remainder of their enactment successful Paris, arsenic a recently engaged couple, will beryllium simple.

“For judge a bully dinner," he said.

"We emotion Paris and Paris - nan metropolis of emotion - was nan correct metropolis to inquire her to beryllium my wife."