Brazilian women show Rio Olympics that ‘love wins’

A Brazilian women’s rugby player might not have won an Olympic gold medal, but she is taking something even more invaluable home — a fiancé.

Olympic stadium manager Marjorie Enya, 28, proposed to her girlfriend Isadora Cerullo, 25, on the rugby sevens event field in front of the entire rugby team on Monday.

“As soon as I knew she was in the squad I thought ‘I have to make this special,’” Enya told the BBC. “I know rugby people are amazing and they would embrace it. I wanted to show people that love wins.”

Enya made her way into the pit after the first rugby sevens medals in the Games history were handed out, Australia taking the gold.

Cerullo’s teammates applauded and wiped away tears of joyas Enya tied a gold ribbon onto her fiance’s finger.

Enya wasn’t nervous about asking her girlfriend of two years to marry her. “She is the love of my life,” Enya said to the BBC.

Originally from North Carolina, Cerullo moved to Sao Paulo with Enya to increase her chances of making the women’s rugby sevens squad for the Games. The Olympic athlete holds dual citizenship in Brazil and the United States.

Cerullo’s Brazil squad finished ninth in the Rugby sevens game, disqualifying them from continuing further in the Olympics.

“The Olympic Games can look like closure but, for me, it’s starting a new life with someone,” Enya told the BBC. “I wanted to show people that love wins.”