Gus Kenworthy: Olympic silver medalist comes out as gay

The 24-year-old won silver in the men’s slopestyle

Gus Kenworthy spoke to ESPN (Getty)

Gus Kenworthy, a freeskier who won silver at the Sochi Olympics last year, has come out as gay in an interview published in the US media.

Mr Kenworthy, 24, won silver in men’s slopestyle in the debut of the sport at the 2014 Winter Olympics. He told ESPN that he considered quitting the sport.

“I never got to be proud of what I did in Sochi, because I felt so horrible about what I didn't do,” he said.

“I didn't want to come out as the silver medalist from Sochi. I wanted to come out as the best freeskier in the world.”

USA Today said Mr Kenworthy’s love of animals put him in the spotlight in Sochi. He adopted a family of stray dogs from Sochi, bringing three home after the Games with the help of a friend, Robin Macdonald.

The skier said he has been torn by keeping this part of his life private. “Hiding everything away is so painful,” he said.

“You're constantly lying and constantly feeling like you're being deceitful. I'm just at that point where I’m ready to open up and let everyone see me for me and I hope everyone accepts it.”