Nothing rivals the feeling of a gold medal; an emblem of hard work and discipline. However, the path to gold medal glory is seldom without hiccups. Sometimes there will arise an obstacle that has the potential to wreak havoc with an athlete’s morale. One such unfortunate variable can be the disqualification of a track and field athlete’s performance. In a sad turn of events, that is exactly what fate had in store for a Brazilian athlete at the World Athletics Indoor Championships in Nanjing.

Coming into the triple jump event, the favorite to clinch a top 3 spot was Hugues Fabrice Zango,  the triple jump sensation from Burkina Faso. However, displaying some incredible performances, Brazilian athlete Almir Dos Santos clawed his way to the third position, scoring 17.22. As he stood beaming as the bronze medal winner, little did he know, this joy was short-lived and shocking news awaited him. It was later revealed that Dos Santos’ bronze medal has been stripped off! The reason? Well, the Brazilian native’s spikes did not meet the criteria!

 However, as Dos Santos suffered a heartbreak, it was Hugues Fabrice Zango who got lucky. With a score of 17.15, the 31-year-old secured yet another global medal, and was crowned the bronze medal winner. Well, Dos Santos has been on the rise in recent times. Competing in the Pan American games, Dos Santos won the silver medal in 2023. 

Before shining on the Pan American games, Dos Santos also clinched a silver medal at the World Indoor Championships back in 2018. The Brazilian also qualified for the Paris Olympics and put up quite a show. And while he got an 11th-place finish, Dos Santos lit up the stadium with a heartwarming act. He proposed and got engaged to his ladylove!

Almir dos Santos wins love despite failing to grab victory in Paris Olympics

Brazilian athlete Almir dos Santos may have fallen short on the Olympic stage. However, off the track, he did take the biggest leap of his life. After finishing 11th in the men’s triple jump final at the Paris Olympics, dos Santos turned his attention to a more personal victory. That is, proposing marriage to his partner, Talita Ramos, on the trackside.

As the Pan American silver medalist dropped to one knee, Ramos covered her face in shock. After a brief moment of disbelief, she said yes, and dos Santos slid the ring onto her finger as the couple embraced and sealed the moment with a kiss. It was a heartwarming scene that instantly received love and admiration from netizens. Almir turned his Olympic disappointment into a personal triumph with ease indeed!

However, eagle-eyed fans were quick to spot what they believed was a mistake. As dos Santos put the ring on Ramos’ finger, viewers pointed out that he had placed it on her right hand instead of the left. But how does it matter when love wins it all?

Despite the chatter, the emotional moment overshadowed any perceived misstep. Dos Santos may not have landed on the podium, but he certainly scored a personal gold with Ramos’ heartfelt yes. And now, with another controversial chapter unfolding in Dos Santos’ life, another win for the Brazilian star hangs in balance yet again.