Man's romantic gesture to girlfriend at basketball game leaves crowd erupting in cheers

Carlo from Peru proposes to Daniela from Cuba in emotional scenes during basketball game in their adopted home of Sheffield

A basketball fan from Peru proposed to his girlfriend in the perfect 'love match' in his adopted Yorkshire hometown.

Romantic Carlo Vidal Miranda popped the question to Dianelis Feria-Menes, 25, from Cuba, at a 'shoot out' during Sheffield Sharks' 79-61 victory over Leicester Riders. The 27-year-old was so nervous that he missed his shot in the £1,000 challenge. But it was worth it as he won the heart of his future bride.

He had spoken with former Sharks star Mike Tuck, now the club marketing manager, to arrange Sunday's proposal. He was "incredibly nervous" as he got down on one knee in front of almost 1,600 people, but "ecstatic" when she said yes. Carlo, a business manager from Lima, said: "Mike met me weeks ago and absolutely loved the idea and suggested that we did it during the shoot out. It was a lot harder than I thought so I missed the shot completely.

But it was for a chance to win £1,000, so I convinced Dianelis to come along because we could have a nice holiday if we won. When she turned around, I asked her to marry me and she had no idea whatsoever. It was very emotional."

Her mum Caridad and dad Antonio were in the crowd after flying in from Cuba. Carlo had asked for their daughter's hand in marriage. "It is in the Latin American culture to do that in advance," added Carlo, a business studies graduate from Sheffield University.

"She told me once that she wanted to have her nails done if I ever asked to marry her. So I told her mum and she made sure that she had her nails all ready before Sunday." Dianelis turned around to see her fiance on one knee. "I wasn't expecting anything. I'm very, very happy. I'm still in shock," she said. They met at a Cuban dance evening in Sheffield on the eve of her 23rd birthday.

Carlo told how they 'did not even kiss' but danced all night. They plan to live in the city after they get married on December 21 this year. "We have always loved Sheffield," added Carlo. "She's going to graduate from Sheffield Hallam University on Friday, so her parents had come over all the way from Cuba. I wanted to make sure that they were able to be there. For me, it was very special for her to be completely unaware that it was something that was going to happen."

Canadian Mike Tuck, 41, who played for the Sharks from 2009-22, winning the BBL play-offs in 2016, was delighted with Carlo's winning proposal. "I said we would do a couple's version of the shoot out so he was down on one knee when he turned around," he said. "It went really, really well." Sheffield Sharks director Yuri Matischen said the Canon Medical Arena had "erupted" when Dianelis said yes.