DENVER — When Gus Kenworthy would let his mind wander into how his perfect Olympics might play out, he pictured a certain scene.
He’d land his best tricks on his final run, win a medal and then — the capper — jump into the stands, ski boots and all, to share a big hug and kiss with the man who meant so much to him.
“That would’ve been an amazing way to come out,” said Kenworthy, the freestyle skier who won the silver medal in Sochi.
But the timing, to say nothing of the country, wasn’t quite right to tell the world he was gay, and so Kenworthy left Russia in February 2014 known best as the compassionate daredevil who adopted several stray dogs he came across in the mountains — and as the man who was part of an historic U.S. sweep of the first Olympic ski slopestyle contest.
Because he wasn’t ready, the journey to Sochi was far less perfect than it could’ve been for the 24-year-old from Telluride, Colorado, who on Thursday, in interviews with The Associated Press and ESPN The Magazine, revealed to the public that he is gay.
He joined other high-profile athletes, including football player Michael Sam, recently retired NBA player Jason Collins and Los Angeles Galaxy soccer player Robbie Rogers, in coming out.
“I felt like I was already being so courageous with my body and my actions and the things I was doing in order to try to win and be the best,” Kenworthy said. “Then, I was being such a coward in this other way, where I wouldn’t let anyone know. So, they were battling each other. I’m excited where those two things can go hand in hand.”
Heading into the biggest skiing competition of his life, he hadn’t told his parents or his brothers. Though he had let himself get caught up in the idea of a celebratory kiss with his boyfriend at the bottom of the hill and the many messages it would send, he knew it couldn’t happen.
Much as the label “Dog Guy” stuck with him long after Sochi, Kenworthy is aware he could be cast, too simply, as the “Gay Skier.”
In the 20 months since his trip to Russia, he has won a title on the Dew Tour, made additional World Cup podiums and had a legitimate chance at the overall championship last season until a leg and knee injury ended things early.
“I don’t know what the future has in store,” Kenworthy said, “but I’m kind of looking forward to it.”
