Out Spotlight XXXV

Matthew Mitcham has the chance to do something no other Australian athlete has ever done, win an Olympic Gold Medal after coming out as gay.

Mitcham currently ranked third in the has one of the best chances to bring gold home to Australia, after winning the 10-meter platform, his specialty, defeating both 2004 Olympic gold medalist Hu Jia of China and fellow Australian and 2004 silver medalist Matthew Helm at the AT&T USA Diving Grand Prix in this past May.

20 yr old diving champion and Olympic hopeful Mitcham came out in the Australian press during a profile interview for the upcoming Olympics. Out and open about his sexuality since he was fourteen, he really didn't think anything of the question posed by the Sydney Morning Herald. "It’s not really a big deal. It’s not like I’m a different person. It’s not like I was straight before. So nothing really has changed....I came out years ago. All that happened recently was that I was doing an interview with the Herald and there was a pretty innocuous question, ‘Who do I live with?’ and I just said ‘my partner Lachlan’. And the journalist was really excited – she thought it was absolutely wonderful!"

Mitcham met Lachlan during his break from the sport after being overwhelmed by combination of lingering injuries, academic pressure, and feeling overwhelmed. He reconnected with friends, hung out, hit the bars, all the things an aspiring Olympic hopeful did not have the time to do. Lachlan was with him during all of this and his return to the sport. "Mitcham credits that break with getting him as far as he’s come: 'I’m glad I took the time out, because if I hadn’t, I wouldn’t be in this position now. I recovered physically, emotionally, and mentally—and I had a lot of fun.' "
Matthew also has a small support network in addition to Lachlan that have been there for him as he comes back as focused and competitive threat in diving. "His coach, Chava Sobrino, had faith in him when no one else did and resurrected his career. Former athlete Sarina Bratton cares for him like a son and fellow diver Alex Croak is a constant sounding board and his best friend."

Competing for the the gold would seem like the biggest challenge for this Olympic athlete, but getting funding for Lachlan to join him in Beijing was Matthew's biggest challenge. He applied for a support grant through the Johnson & Johnson’s Athlete Family Support Program. Thanks to the program, Lachlan will be there along with him mum, who is attending from the generosity of the Gay and Lesbian community.

Good Luck Matthew. Go for the Gold.


“I just want to be known as the Australian diver who did really well at the Olympics. “It’s everybody else who thinks it’s special when homosexuality and elite sport go together.”

Sydney Morning Herald
Advocate Article

You Tube of Matthew diving