While hundreds of metals were earned by athletes from around the world during the XXX Olympiad earlier this month, 10 from four countries have the special recognition of being openly gay medal winners this year.
The United States, Great Britain, Germany and The Netherlands all have openly gay Olympians who brought an extra souvenir home after the world-wide sport spectacular.
Gold medalists include Seimone Augustus, a member of the USA women’s basketball team; Carl Hester, Great Britain’s equestrian who, along with his two teammates, won Britain’s first-ever Team Dressage gold; Marilyn Agliotti, Carlien Dirkse van den Heuvel, Kim Lammers and Maartje Paumen of the Netherlands women’s field hockey team; and Megan Rapinoe, of the USA women’s soccer team, Rapinoe had two big goals in the semifinal match and team coach Pia Sundhage is also out as a lesbian.
One out silver medalist finished the London Games and that was Judith Arndt of Germany, who took second in women’s cycling. She was the first out athlete to medal this year in the road race time trial.
And out bronze medalists include Edward Gal of the Netherlands Equestrian team, which placed in Team Dressage; and Lisa Raymond, a USA tennis doubles player who medaled with partner Mike Bryan on the court.
This year’s Olympics had 23 out athletes participating. The 10 medals won by those athletes translates to 43% of out athletes walking away with Olympic hardware in 2012.
