Two gay swimmers are bt iends and each other’s rock - Outsports

Contents:

• FROM LLEGE SWIMMER TO HIGH SCHOOL ACH, GAY ATHLETE STAYED TE TO HIMSELF
• OLYMPIC SWIMMER MARK THORMEYER PERFORMED AT HIS PEAK AFTER G OUT AS GAY
• FOR GAY OH STATE SWIMMER, POOL BEME HIS SAFE SPACE
• TWO GAY SWIMMERS ARE BT IENDS AND EACH OTHER’S ROCK

FROM LLEGE SWIMMER TO HIGH SCHOOL ACH, GAY ATHLETE STAYED TE TO HIMSELF

From llege swimmer to high school ach, gay athlete stayed te to himself. ‘The most challengg part of beg gay has actually been enuragg myself to be more open wh others, ’ MacJilton Lewis wr.

When Brish diver Tom Daley announced he was gay, ronated wh me. However, after that first nversatn wh my mom, was not as if the floodgat opened and I began tellg everyone my life that I was gay.

OLYMPIC SWIMMER MARK THORMEYER PERFORMED AT HIS PEAK AFTER G OUT AS GAY

Even though I uld sense I was a supportive environment at Cleveland State (where I attend llege and petively swam), was not until my sophomore year that I was ready to open up to one of my teammat.

The most challengg part of beg gay has still been enuragg myself to be more open wh others. I unrstand the importance of lovg myself for who I am: an athlete, a ach, a son, a brother and a iend — who happens to be gay. Swimmer Mark Thormeyer was a wreck leadg up to the 2016 Canadian Olympic Trials, his hidg beg gay so taxg and bilatg that one day he broke down and lay helpls on his bedroom floor.

The two most proment thgs that make up my inty are beg a swimmer and beg gay.

FOR GAY OH STATE SWIMMER, POOL BEME HIS SAFE SPACE

I didn’t know if I uld be gay and swim (at the time I didn’t even know if gay people uld play any sport).

TWO GAY SWIMMERS ARE BT IENDS AND EACH OTHER’S ROCK

Over time my teammat didn’t jt see me as a gay guy but as a valuable teammate and iend and out of the pool. I do so I n try to be a role mol for a stgglg gay kid swimmg, someone I wish I had to look up to when I was younger.