Aug 23, 2008

Golden GAY: Matthew Mitcham, Australia's OUT Olympic Diver Wins Gold at Beijing*



BREAKING NOTICIAS: Golden Gay, Matthew Mitcham, Australia's Out Olympic Diver Wins Gold

ATTENTION: GAY "excluding" Puritan Archbishop Peter Jensen of Sydney...here is some factual "Good News" for you and yours!

"In what is being hailed as one of the most tremendous upsets of the Beijing Olympics, openly gay Australian diver Matthew Mitcham won a gold medal today after his string of perfect 10's recorded this highest scoring dive in Olympic history.
Mitcham's pulled off a stunning final dive in the 10 metre platform, scoring an incredible four perfect 10s, to steal the gold off favourite Chinese diver Luxin Zhou. Mitcham finished with 537.95 points. It was a massive upset defeating the premiere and form Chinese divers Liang Huo and Luxin Zhou in front fierce home crowd.

Mitcham, 20, battled depression, retired in his teenage years after physical and emotional burn-out, then just nine months later resumed his sport in 2007. Last night his triumphant return to the sport was crowned with gold. His coach Chava Sobrino, who encouraged Mitcham back into the sport, elatedly embraced diver and Mitcham broke down in tears.

It was late 2006 that Mitcham lost passion for diving and suffering depression he quit. During his hiatus from the sport last year to make money he plunged from a tower 14 metres high into a pool of water for crowds at the Royal Easter Show in Sydney. That job reignited his passion for the sport.

One person who has been by his side for the entire tumultuous and now brilliant journey is his partner, Lachlan, he was in the crowd last night courtesy of a Johnson & Johnson Olympic sponsorship. Mitcham is one of only a few "out" gay athletes in Beijing and the first Australian to openly declare his homosexuality going into an Olympics.
Mitcham, age 20, is now expected to be a star of Australia's 2012 team in London."

Thanks to Joe.My.God. blog to be found at the sidebar at the right...read more:

http://joemygod.blogspot.com/2008/08/golden-gay-matthew-mitcham-australias.html

GAY OLYMPIC MEDALIST UPDATE:

"Outsports.com tells us that statistically speaking, out athletes have been, as a group, disproportionately successful at these Olympic Games. The 11 openly GLBT athletes Outsports has followed over the past two weeks raked in 4 golds, 2 silvers and 1 bronze medal. In other words, 64% of out athletes won a medal; a third of all out athletes won a gold medal."

The medalists are:
Gold: Matthew Mitcham, Australia (Diving, 10m platform); Natasha Kai, USA (Soccer); Gro Hammerseng & Katya Nyberg, Norway (Handball)

Silver: Lauren Lappin and bi athlete Vicky Galindo, USA (Softball)

Bronze: Linda Bresonik, Germany (Soccer)

THANK YOU for more good news: Lavender Wolves (to be found at the right sidebar)

http://rallianceblog.blogspot.com/2008/08/what-olympic-tv-coverage-isnt-telling.html

2 comments:

Bonnie said...

Hi Leonardo--I love the last three posts. Great dynamic trio, Matthew Mitcham, Desmond Tutu and Martin Torrijos Espino!

Why, oh why do we not have Desmond Tutu leading the Anglican Communion. A man in whom there is no perhaps or maybe or only if or wait until. Every time I see ++Tutu I know that we need to shake the mind-numbing, ennui, fuzzy line in the sand, hate prompting and promoting ++Williams led (F)Anglican off of our backs and move on.

And it is 25 hours and 11 minutes and some odd seconds until your birthday.

So almost happy birthday eve day to you.

Leonard said...

BONNIE! OMG, agedness is marching onward and I thank you for remembering King Ludwig, Leonard Bernstein and little old volcanic me...you're a great friend.