Italy flag bearer loses wedding ring in Seine during 2024 Paris Olympics opening ceremony

Gianmarco Tamberi, the flag bearer for the Italian delegation during the Olympics opening ceremony Saturday, apologized to his wife in a social media post for losing his wedding ring in River Seine while “trying to carry the Italian Tricolore as high as possible.”

“It will remain forever in the riverbed of the city of love,” he wrote.

Tamberi said he saw his ring fall off and bounce inside the boat, offering a “tinkle of hope” it would not be lost forever, before falling into the water “as if that was the only place it wanted to be.”

“If you want we will throw yours into that river too so that they will be together forever and we will have one more excuse to, as you have always asked me, renew our promises and get married again,” Tamberi said.

The opening ceremony was not held in a stadium for the first time in Olympic history as the Seine entertained 85 boats carrying 205 delegations. Italy — which sent 394 athletes to the Paris Games — shared a boat with Israel and Iceland’s delegations.

The Italian National Olympic Committee appointed two flag bearers for the ceremony, Tamberi and three-time medalist Arriana Errigo, who won gold in the Olympic team foil event in 2012.

The two held the Italian flag parallel to the ground before Team Italy was shown on the big screens in Paris and broadcasts worldwide. Once on screen, Tamberi and Errigo raised the flag in tandem as their fellow Italian delegates erupted in cheer.

(Photo: Tom Weller / VOIGT / GettyImages)

Tamberi won gold in high jump in the 2020 Tokyo Games. He was only the second athlete from Team Italy’s history to achieve the feat.

The men’s high jump starts with the qualifying round on Aug. 7 and concludes with the final on Aug. 10. While Tamberi looks to take home a medal again, he’s taking his initial gold loss as a “good omen for returning home with an even bigger gold.”