From steeplechase to church steeple! French athletics star PROPOSES to her boyfriend after smashing European 3,000m steeplechase record at Paris Games

French 3,000m steeplechase athlete Alice Finot celebrated breaking the European record on Tuesday evening by proposing to her partner at the Stade de France after crossing the finish line.

Finot finished fourth in a highly competitive race won by reigning world champion Winfred Yavi of Bahrain, but managed to set an impressive personal best of eight minutes and 58.67 seconds.

But after the 33-year-old achieved one goal, she had another in mind as she walked to the stands.

Cheered on by home fans in the cauldron in Paris, Finot embraced her partner – fellow athlete Bruno Martínez Bargiela – before getting down on one knee.

The Olympian proposed with a pin instead of a ring, much to Bargiela’s surprise. Finot later explained that she was prompted by a lucky bit of numerology.

The Frenchwoman later shared a promising reason at the Stade de France as to why she chose to do this

Finot broke the European record in the 3,000m steeplechase on Tuesday by finishing fourth

“I told myself that if I could run under nine minutes, knowing that nine is my lucky number and that we have been together for nine years, I would ask her to marry me,” Finot said in the mixed zone after her race.

“I don’t like to do things like everyone else. Since he hadn’t done it yet, I told myself maybe it was up to me to do it.

‘So I gave a pin that I ran with to my boyfriend. It says: Love is in Paris.

‘He’s the one who always gives me strength and if I managed to stay under nine minutes, it meant a lot.’

Finot confirmed that he had said ‘yes’ to her proposal and was also delighted with her performance on the track.

“I really enjoyed it, I was able to express myself,” the French woman added.

“It was just a little bit (that) that was missing to get a medal, I’m sorry. But I don’t regret anything.”

The 33-year-old said she had a “really good time” competing in front of her home crowd

Her proposal is the second made by an athlete, after Chinese badminton players Huang Ya Qiong (left) and Liu Yuchen

The couple got engaged after Huang’s mixed doubles gold medal win last week

Finot is the second athlete to get engaged right after a major Olympic victory. Chinese badminton player Huang Ya Qiong was proposed to by her boyfriend after winning gold with her partner Zheng Siwei.

Liu Yuchen, who represents China in the men’s doubles, waited in the wings with a bouquet of flowers for Huang to enjoy her medal ceremony, before getting down on one knee and presenting the player with a ring.

“For me the proposal is very surprising because I have been preparing for the competition for a long time,” Huang told reporters through an interpreter.

“I’m an Olympic champion today and I’ve been proposed to, so I didn’t expect that,” the athlete added.