Lam Hin-chung may not have brought home a gold medal for Hong Kong of China during the 2018 Asian Games, but for the veteran fencer, Thursday night will still go down as one to remember for the rest of his life.
As the crowds filtered out after the awarding ceremony for the men's team sabre, A Little Happiness, a hopelessly romantic song sung by Chinese pop singer Hebe Tien was promptly played through a speaker.
Right on cue, Lam walked towards his girlfriend, bent down on one knee and offered up a red box containing the engagement ring. Then he popped the question before the couple embraced to wild cheering and applause.
"I'm really delighted to win a (bronze) medal today, so I began to think about the marriage proposal. I didn't expect myself to do it here though," Lam told Sina Sports.
"This is my fourth Asian Games and I have a deep emotional connection with the event. So I feel quite comfortable with the idea of making the proposal right here right now," he added.
Lam Hin-chung poses with his girlfriend after making a surprising proposal at the Asian Games on August 23. /Xinhua News Agency Photo
The 32-year-old fencer has been dating his girlfriend for the past eight years and he had no hesitation declaring she is the love of his life.
"I was on the verge of giving up on fencing in 2010 and it was her who accompanied me to get through the tough times," Lam said.
"We get along pretty well and we are perfect foils for each other," he beamed.
Lam clinched a individual bronze at the Incheon Games four years ago, but his hopes of winning back-to-back individual fencing medals had been crushed in Jakarta by knee and wrist injuries.
Fortunately, there is great consolation in bagging the bronze medal in the men's team sabre for Hong Kong in possibly his last Asian Games.