Austin Marathon second-place finisher proposes to girlfriend at finish line

Not long after he crossed the finish line in second place at Sunday’s Austin Marathon, Joey Whelan surprised his girlfriend, Monica Bhattacharjee, by proposing to her. The couple was posing for a photo at the finish line when Whelan dropped to one knee and popped the question. Bhattacharjee said yes, making Whelan’s 2:16:41 his second-best accomplishment of the day. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

View this post on Instagram

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A post shared by Joey P Whelan (@jpwhelan23)

As Whelan noted on Instagram, the Austin Marathon is a special event for him and Bhattacharjee, as the 2019 event marked the official start of their relationship. Whelan won the race that day four years ago, adding to his win on the same course in 2018. Going into this year’s race, which was his first time returning since 2019, he had his eyes on a third win, but his priority was without a doubt to make it to the finish line so he could propose to Bhattacharjee. “I may have gotten [second] place today, but I truly won,” Whelan wrote. 

Bhattacharjee told CBS Austin that the proposal “was a complete surprise,” adding that she and Whelan met through running. In a CBS Austin video of Whelan’s and Bhattacharjee’s finish-line celebration, the race announcer can be heard excitedly detailing their exchange. “There’s some crazy stuff happening at the finish line,” he said. “I’m seeing some hugs, so I’m going to say it was a yes.” 

Whelan has had many successes as a runner, including multiple wins at various marathons across the U.S., but the 2023 Austin Marathon will likely always hold the top spot in his (and Bhattacharjee’s) personal rankings.