Gay Skier Gus Kenworthy Eyes 4th Olympics After Comeback
Ten years after coming out publicly, Gus Kenworthy is fighting for a spot on Team Great Britain's halfpipe team for the Milan Winter Olympics. His 8th place finish at the World Cup final in Aspen could seal his remarkable return to Olympic competition.
Gus Kenworthy is proving that comebacks can happen at any age, even after retirement.
The openly gay skier finished 8th in the men's halfpipe final at the U.S. Grand Prix in Aspen, beating dozens of top competitors and moving closer to making his fourth Winter Olympics team. If selected for Team Great Britain in the coming weeks, it would cap an incredible journey that started with his return to competitive skiing just last year.
Kenworthy barely squeezed into the final round. He placed sixth out of 21 competitors in the first heat, with only the top seven advancing. His score of 76.75 gave him a five-point cushion over the skier who missed the cut.
The path to Milan isn't guaranteed. Team Great Britain will likely choose between Kenworthy and fellow skier Liam Richards for their men's halfpipe spot. Right now, Kenworthy ranks 13th in World Cup standings while Richards sits at 25th. The Olympic eligibility list also places Kenworthy ahead of his competitor.
Kenworthy made history a decade ago when he came out as gay, becoming one of the first openly gay action sports athletes. He competed in three previous Winter Olympics for Team USA before switching to represent Great Britain.
Why This Inspires
Kenworthy's comeback story shows that athletic dreams don't have an expiration date. After stepping away from competitive skiing, he could have stayed retired comfortably. Instead, he chose to train, compete, and push himself against athletes who never took time off.
His journey resonates beyond sports. Coming out publicly in 2015 made Kenworthy a trailblazer for LGBTQ athletes in action sports, where visibility was rare. Now he's showing that visibility and authenticity don't end when the spotlight dims.
The Milan Winter Olympics opening ceremony is less than four weeks away. Whether or not Team Great Britain selects Kenworthy, his top-ten World Cup finish proves he still belongs among the world's best halfpipe skiers.
Right now, Kenworthy is focused on what he can control: his performance on the snow and his preparation for the call that could make Olympic history.
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This story was written by BrightWire based on verified news reports.
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