Paralympics 2024: Alessandro Ossola’s proposal ‘better than every medal’

For Ossola, who lives in Turin and first competed at Tokyo 2020, his proposal had extra significance, given his journey and a life of incredible loss.

A motorcycle accident in 2015 resulted in the death of his first wife and meant Ossola had to have most of his left leg amputated.

It was a time where he says he could “see just darkness” around him.

“It’s a long journey, now I’m here I’m smiling,” he added.

“I’m a positive guy but at the beginning [it] was a hard time. But sports help me exit this darkness, this turmoil.”

Ossola credits his Para-athletics training with helping him focus on the future.

He hopes the Paralympics can do much more in improving perceptions about disability in wider society.

“I don’t like when the people say ‘You are disabled, ah, you are going to Paralympics’.

“It’s not like that. You are going to the Paralympics if you are one of the best athletes in the world. This is why I am proud to be here.”

For now, Ossola says his and Arianna’s plans for the rest of their stay in Paris, as a newly engaged couple, will be simple.

“For sure a good dinner,” he said.

“We love Paris and Paris – the city of love – was the right city to ask her to be my wife.”