Paralympic athlete proposes partnership on the race track – nine years after the death of his first wife

Ossola, who finished sixth in Tokyo three years ago, missed the final this time after finishing fifth in his heat with a time of 12.46 seconds.

However, the Italian will still have fond memories of his stay at the Stade de France after successfully proposing to his partner Arianna in the stands after the race.

“She replied to me, 'You're crazy, you're crazy' and she kissed me, so it was really exciting,” Ossola, who hatched the plan a month before the Games, told the BBC World Service.

“I was unlucky, I didn't reach the final and I was very sad about it. But after three minutes – life is strange, as we all know – I was really happy.”

For Ossola, however, the proposal has a very special meaning, as his path into para-athletics was accompanied by a personal tragedy.

The 36-year-old's life was born without disabilities, but in 2015 it was turned upside down when his first wife died in a motorcycle accident and doctors were forced to amputate most of his left leg.

“After my accident I lost a lot – everything except my smile – but sport made me smile more and more.

“Some would say that today was not a great day for me from a sporting point of view. I say it was. At 36 years old, I was competing with the best in the world and I am really proud of that.”

Ossola also quickly realized that his new fiancée had helped him on his way to elite competition.

“Our relationship is like a maelstrom because every athlete needs people around him who motivate him,” he added.

“Sometimes she believed in me more than I believed in myself, and that's really amazing. 'You can do it, you can do it, you can do it, you can do it,' she would say.

“This is something everyone needs and I hope everyone finds someone like her. She is my partner… for life.”

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