RIO DE JANEIRO — Queen Harrison’s trip to the Rio Olympics took a celebratory turn Tuesday after a surprise proposal by boyfriend, Olympic triple jumper Will Claye.
The Hermitage High graduate and Virginia Tech alum, who competed in the 2008 Beijing Games, failed to qualify for the Rio Games during Olympic trials.
Despite the disappointment, Harrison was in Rio to support Claye, who won the Silver medal in the triple jump at the 2012 London Games.
“When I woke up this morning I was like, ‘Today is going to be the best day of my life,’” Claye told the AP. “I’m going to go out there and do what I have to do on the track first and I am going to make her my fiancée after that.”
The memorable proposal came right after Claye won a silver medal in the triple jump, his third Olympic medal in his career.
“I told her she was my best friend. I told her she was my rib. I told her I want to grow old with her,” Claye said of the proposal. “I want her to be by my side for the rest of my life. She’s helped me to grow into the man I am today.”
Harrison accepted the the proposal as tears rolled down her face in front of a crowd of fans.
