News APP

NewsApp (Free)

Read news as it happens
Download NewsApp

Available on  gplay

This article was first published 1 year ago
Rediff.com  » Sports » British Olympic champ Kelly Holmes reveals she is gay

British Olympic champ Kelly Holmes reveals she is gay

June 19, 2022 15:09 IST
Get Rediff News in your Inbox:

'Sometimes I cry with relief. The moment this (interview) comes out, I'm essentially getting rid of that fear.'

Kelly Holmes

IMAGE: Kelly Holmes, who won gold in the 800 and 1,500 metres at the 2004 Games in Athens, said on Saturday she had known she was gay since she was 17. Photograph: Peter Cziborra/Reuters

Britain's double Olympic champion Kelly Holmes has revealed she is gay, saying she was nervous and excited about coming out in a move that could have saved her years of heartache.

 

The 52-year-old, who won gold in the 800 and 1,500 metres at the 2004 Games in Athens, said on Saturday she had known she was gay since she was 17.

"I needed to do this now, for me. It was my decision. I'm nervous about saying it. I feel like I'm going to explode with excitement," Holmes told the Sunday Mirror newspaper.

"Sometimes I cry with relief. The moment this (interview) comes out, I'm essentially getting rid of that fear."

Holmes, a former army officer who left in 1997 to concentrate on athletics, said she had hidden her sexuality for fear of repercussion, because Britain did not allow gay, lesbian and bisexual people to serve in the military until 2000.

Her fears were alleviated when she contacted a military LGBTQ+ leader in 2020, who assured her that she would not face sanctions for coming out, she said.

"I was convinced throughout my whole life that if I admitted to being gay in the army I'd still be in trouble," Kelly said.

"I felt like I could breathe again (after the call). One little call could have saved 28 years of heartache."

Get Rediff News in your Inbox:
Source: REUTERS
© Copyright 2024 Reuters Limited. All rights reserved. Republication or redistribution of Reuters content, including by framing or similar means, is expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of Reuters. Reuters shall not be liable for any errors or delays in the content, or for any actions taken in reliance thereon.

INDIAN PREMIER LEAGUE 2024

INDIAN PREMIER LEAGUE 2024