Love & Fencing: A Tokyo Twist
Just as the lights dimmed on the Tokyo Olympic arena, Maria Belen Perez Maurice’s coach, Lucas Guillermo Saucedo, took an unexpected bow—hand‑scroll in hand. “Will you marry me? Please,” he squawked, cutting a dramatic flash across the crowd. 18‑year‑handed love story, same-time‑zone, and a silver‑lined proposal are the best plot twists the Games have seen.
The Back‑Story
- 2010: The first attempt. Saucedo dropped a sweet serial at a local café, but Perez Martin turned him away.
- July 26: After a 15‑12 mishap against Anna Marton, Maria’s world ranking dipped, but her heart stayed on track.
- Monday morning: Revival! Saucedo made the finals of his own proposal—thanks to a quick trade for a paper with an Olympic pin.
Maria’s Miles‑High “Yes”
When she grinned at the announcement, the fencer let out a sigh: “I forget everything, you know,” she chuckled, then whispered “I said yes, of course.” It’s as if the moment was almost practiced, a rehearsed encore to a love duet.
Post‑Olympic Plans
Bakery shelves of Buenos Aires now hold the plans: a honeymoon postponed by COVID‑19 codes, but the trio will fly home this week for a celebratory fiesta in the home city. In the meantime, the couple will stay in the Olympic Village like champions in a temporary nest.
Quick Recap
- Machine‑grade fencing blackout (the match)
- Heart‑thumping proposal (the vow)
- Post‑Olympic postpone (the honeymoon)
Who knew that the most feather‑light steps at Makuhari Messe Hall would lead to a big‑heart moment that even the Olympic pins can’t help but shine on? Cheers to love, sport, and a long‑suffering wedding waiting for the right moment—neither by officials nor by heartbeats.”
