Out athletes win gold and silver in same event for first time in Commonwealth Games
Out gay athletes have taken home both the gold and silver medals in a Commonwealth Games event for the first time.
In the 10m men’s synchronised dive today, out Australian Matthew Mitcham won a gold medal alongside diving partner Dominic Bedggood, netting 399.54 points.
They very narrowly beat out English diver Tom Daley and partner James Denny, who picked up a silver medal with 399.36 points.
It is the first time out gay athletes have taken both the gold and silver medals in one event at the Games. However, the two divers both shared the top spot of the exactly the same dive at the last Commonwealth Games in Delhi, three years before Tom Daley came out. In 2010, Daley and his diving partner Max Brick received the gold medal.
During the 2010 games, Daley also secured the gold medal in the Men’s 10m platform diving with Mitcham receiving the silver.
He also took home a sliver medal yesterday, in the 1m springboard event.
He is also the first out gay athlete to win a gold medal at the Glasgow Commonwealth Games so far.
Last week, Daley denied claims that he would retire from diving after the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow.
The 20-year-old diver, who won bronze at London 2012, dismissed claims that he would turn his back on the sport because of a fear of failing at the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro.
He added: “Rio in 2016 is still my ultimate goal. But how far I go on after that really depends on how long my body holds out. Some divers last until they are 38, some until they are 22. I just have to listen to my body and then play it by ear.”
