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Apr. 18th, 2010 08:26 amI'm a big swimming fan, and I'm both happy and sad to read these articles.
Retired Australian swimming champ (and winner of 4 Olympic medals) Daniel Kowalski has come out, with a column written by Daniel.
Kowalski, 34, said he was inspired to make the announcement after reading about Welsh international rugby player Gareth Thomas, who announced last December that he was gay.
Kowalski was so moved by Thomas's story that he contacted the player. Their conversations left him feeling ''excited and relieved'' for Thomas but he also felt ''anger because I was jealous … he was out and felt liberated and free''.
The Olympian said that it wasn't until 2006, more than three years after his swimming career ended, that he told family and close friends about his homosexuality. He feels now he had been in denial about his sexuality during his high-profile career.
And this denial may have affected his competitive edge. ''I always knew that I lacked confidence when I stood up on the blocks and I do wonder sometimes if that lack of confidence was fear, fear of not really knowing who I am.
''On the sporting side, I lost to some amazing champions, so I'm not for one second saying that this is the reason I didn't win. I often wonder if the lack of self-confidence and lack of identity in many ways held me back from reaching my potential.''
His future? Kowalski wants what most people want. ''I look for all the things straight people do, I want to fall in love and be happy and be proud of who I am.''
Retired Australian swimming champ (and winner of 4 Olympic medals) Daniel Kowalski has come out, with a column written by Daniel.
Kowalski, 34, said he was inspired to make the announcement after reading about Welsh international rugby player Gareth Thomas, who announced last December that he was gay.
Kowalski was so moved by Thomas's story that he contacted the player. Their conversations left him feeling ''excited and relieved'' for Thomas but he also felt ''anger because I was jealous … he was out and felt liberated and free''.
The Olympian said that it wasn't until 2006, more than three years after his swimming career ended, that he told family and close friends about his homosexuality. He feels now he had been in denial about his sexuality during his high-profile career.
And this denial may have affected his competitive edge. ''I always knew that I lacked confidence when I stood up on the blocks and I do wonder sometimes if that lack of confidence was fear, fear of not really knowing who I am.
''On the sporting side, I lost to some amazing champions, so I'm not for one second saying that this is the reason I didn't win. I often wonder if the lack of self-confidence and lack of identity in many ways held me back from reaching my potential.''
His future? Kowalski wants what most people want. ''I look for all the things straight people do, I want to fall in love and be happy and be proud of who I am.''
