Italian athlete Gianmarco Tamberi loses his wedding ring during Paris Olympics opening ceremony, apologises to his wife on social media

Gianmarco Tamberi, the Italian high jumper known for his dramatic flair, added another chapter to his Olympic story. During the rain-soaked opening ceremony in Paris, the athlete lost his wedding ring to the Seine River.

In a heartfelt Instagram post, Tamberi apologised to his wife, Chiara Bontempi. Blaming a combination of excessive weight loss, uncontrollable enthusiasm, and the abundant water, he recounted the tragic moment. Sharing flag-bearing duties with fencer Arianna Errigo, Tamberi was aboard a boat parading athletes down the Seine when the ring slipped from his finger.

“I’m sorry my love, I’m really, really sorry...Too much water, too many kilograms lost over the last few months and maybe the uncontrollable enthusiasm of what we were doing. Probably all three things,” he wrote.

Tamberi described the moment he lost the ring, watching it bounce helplessly into the river. Despite the loss, he found a silver lining, declaring the Seine “the perfect place” for such a precious item. With characteristic optimism, he expressed hope that the incident would be a lucky omen for his gold medal aspirations in the upcoming high jump competition.

In a romantic gesture, Tamberi invited his wife to cast her wedding ring into the Seine as well, creating a unique bond between them and providing an excuse to renew their vows.

Known for his theatrical antics, Tamberi has a history of stealing the spotlight. From pretending to hide springs in his shoes to sharing a gold medal with his best friend Mutaz Barshim in a euphoric celebration, the high-flyer has always been a crowd-pleaser. His journey to Paris was equally dramatic, as he shared a presidential flight with Italian President Sergio Mattarella.