Gay Aussie Diver Breaks Chinese Streak

After narrowly missing out on qualifying for the three-meter springboard finals earlier this week, out Australian diver Matthew Mitcham took home the gold in the 10-meter platform competition, preventing the Chinese from taking gold in all eight diving categories.

According to the Los Angeles Times, Mitcham bounced back with an impeccably timed final dive in last night’s competition, earning four perfect 10's from the judges, pulling ahead of the competition’s favored winner, Chinese diver Zhou Luxin.

Luxin had been leading Mitcham going into last night’s finals by more than 30 points. But he faltered on his last dive, blowing his entry, according to the Times, and giving Mitcham an opportunity to clinch the gold.

"It's going to take a while to sink in," Mitcham told the Associated Press, fighting back tears. "My cheeks hurt from smiling. My face hurts from the chlorine. My legs are sore from jumping up and down. I'm in pain and I'm tired. But I'm so happy."

The win marks a huge turnaround for the 20-year-old Australian diver, who earlier this week finished 16th out of 18 competitors in the three-meter semifinals.

Mitcham is the first openly gay Australian to compete in the Olympics. His coming-out was well documented in the Australian press when he applied for financial aide to help pay for his boyfriend to join him in Beijing for the Games.

“I just want to be known as the Australian diver who did really well at the Olympics,” Mitcham told The Advocate in an interview with the magazine last month. “It’s everybody else who thinks it’s special when homosexuality and elite sport go together.”

Click here to read The Advocate's cover story. (The Advocate)

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