During the 2024 Paris Olympics opening ceremony, Italian high jumper and Tokyo Olympics gold medalist Gianmarco Tamberi experienced an unfortunate event. While participating in the athletes’ parade, Tamberi, serving as Italy’s male flagbearer, accidentally lost his wedding ring in the Seine River.
The incident occurred as Tamberi, who shared the 2020 Tokyo Olympics high jump gold with Qatar’s Mutaz Essa Barshim, waved the Italian flag. In a moment of excitement, his wedding ring slipped from his finger, bounced off the boat, and fell into the water.
Expressing his regret on Instagram, Tamberi apologized to his wife, Chiara Bontempi Tamberi, to whom he has been married for 22 months. He described the sequence of events, noting the ring’s flight and ultimate plunge into the river, capturing the moment with humor and disappointment.
Despite this mishap, Tamberi found a silver lining, humorously suggesting that this could be an opportunity to renew their vows and replace the ring. “I love you, my love. May it be auspicious to come home with even bigger gold!!!” he expressed, hoping to turn the unfortunate incident into a positive omen.
Chiara responded to her husband’s post with affection, praising his ability to romanticize the incident, “Only you can turn something like this into something romantic.”
The high jumper remains a strong contender for another gold medal in the men’s high jump event, scheduled to start on August 7. This keeps fans and supporters hopeful for his success at the Paris Olympics.
