The 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris have kicked off with a bang, and the LGBTQ+ community is already making waves! We’re here to celebrate the fabulous out athletes who are winning medals and hearts on the world stage.
Olympic Medalists
Tom Daley: Diving Dynamo
Tom Daley, the British diving sensation, added a silver medal to his impressive collection in the synchronized 10m platform event with partner Noah Williams. This marks Daley’s fifth Olympic medal, showcasing his enduring talent and dedication. Daley’s family, including his husband and sons, cheered him on as he dove to silver.
Rugby Royalty
New Zealand’s Portia Woodman-Wickliffe led her team to gold in the Rugby Sevens, ending her international career on a high note. Meanwhile, the Canadian women’s rugby team stunned everyone with their silver medal performance, featuring out players Olivia Apps, Sophie de Goede, and Maddy Grant. The US women’s team, with six out players, secured a historic bronze, their first Olympic medal in 100 years.
Amandine Buchard: Judo Queen
Amandine Buchard, the fierce French judoka, snagged not one but two medals. She bagged a bronze in the -52kg category by defeating Hungarian Reka Pupp. Buchard didn’t stop there; she also took gold in the mixed team judo competition, proving she’s a powerhouse.
Lauren Scruggs: Fencing Phenom
Team USA’s Lauren Scruggs made her Olympic debut memorable. She earned a silver medal in the women’s foil, facing off against fellow American Lee Kiefer. But the excitement didn’t end there. Scruggs and the US Women’s foil team clinched their first-ever gold medal, marking a historic victory.
BMX and Beyond
In BMX freestyle, Perris Benegas of Team USA took silver and celebrated with a kiss from her girlfriend, Mikaela Herres. Australia’s Natalya Diehm won bronze, marking her as Australia’s first-ever Women’s BMX Freestyle medal winner at an Olympic Games.
Rowing and Racing Stars
Tabea Schendekehl of Germany won bronze in women’s quad sculls rowing, becoming one of the first out pansexual athletes to medal at the Olympics. Emma Twigg of New Zealand added a silver medal to her collection in the singles sculls, competing in her fifth Olympics. Sha’Carri Richardson of Team USA sprinted to silver in the 100-meter dash, while Maria Perez of Spain took silver in the 20km race walk.
More Medals, More Pride
Italian judoka Alice Bellandi won gold in the 78kg division, the first for an Italian woman since 2008. Israel’s Raz Hershko took silver in women’s judo +78kg. Brazil’s Rafaela Silva helped her team win bronze in mixed-team judo.
Dressage Divas
Frederic Wandres from Germany took gold in team dressage, Cathrine Laudrup-Dufour from Denmark won silver, and Carl Hester of Great Britain claimed bronze, adding to his extensive Olympic medal haul.
Team LGBTQ+ on the Rise
If Team LGBTQ+ were a country, they’d be sitting pretty at 8th place in the medal count with an impressive 24 medals: 5 gold, 11 silver, and 8 bronze.
Stay tuned as the Paris 2024 Olympics continue to unfold. We’re thrilled to see these out-and-proud athletes shine and inspire the world! Keep checking back for more updates on our incredible LGBTQ+ Olympians.
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