Gay athlete Tom Bosworth wins world record for fastest walking mile
Gay athlete Tom Bosworth has won a world record at the London Anniversary Games.
Bosworth won the walking mile race in a time of 5 minutes 31 seconds, making him the world record holder.
The athlete shared a picture of himself crossing the finishing line with the caption “Holy Sh*t! WR!”.
The 27-year-old publicly came out in 2015 on the Victoria Derbyshire show.
Family, friends and fellow athletes of Bosworth had known about his sexuality for years before he came out.
However, he felt compelled to share it with his fans.
He discussed the reaction he had received from fellow athletes – including Olympic medallist Mo Farah.
“Coming out is no surprise to my friends, family and even team-mates – even Mo Farah, who didn’t bat an eyelid when I told him I was gay,” Bosworth told Victoria Derbyshire.
“I’ve been comfortable with my sexuality and in a really happy relationship for the past four and a half years,” he added.
“But in the build-up to the Rio Olympics next year, I don’t want this news to become a distraction or affect those closest to me.”
He is now engaged to his fiancé Harry Dinleley, who he proposed on Copacabana Beach during the Rio Olympics.
Last year, he picked up a PinkNews award on behalf of Olympians and Paralympians.
Bosworth previously discussed the homophobia he had received in the past – describing how he once had his head smashed through a window because of his sexuality.
“When I was competing in local athletics a number of years ago, some other athletes called me ‘fag’ or ‘queer’.
“A group of lads used to gang up on me and the worst episode came when they smashed my head through a window after a run-in.
“I decided not to tell anyone about it, so my parents or teachers didn’t know,” he explained.
“I guess I was more worried about people blaming me than the students, but I had the support of my friends to get me through that tough time.”
