2010 ISSUES Aug-Sep Issue 2010 Aug- Sep Athlete Interview - Greg Louganis
Former Champion Dives Back in the Water for Equality Swim
Growing up in the 1970s and training to be a world-class diver, Greg Louganis didn’t do a lot of long distance swimming. And when he was making his way atop every medal stand at the Olympics of the 80s his time in the pool was mostly swimming to the edge after a dive. That’s why swimming 1.7 miles along the coast of Malibu on Sept. 25 has got the former champion a bit uneasy.
“I was just intending to lend my name,” Louganis told me, referring to a fundraiser earlier this year at which he decided to lend support for Swim for Equality. “And then some guy said he’d sponsor five swimmers … and I raised my hand.
“I’m not sure I realized what I’d just volunteered for.”
What he volunteered for was Equality California’s latest unique fundraiser, one that asks participants to raise a minimum of $2,000 to support their participation. It’s similar to the annual California AIDS/LifeCycle, a 545-mile bike ride that benefits AIDS services in Los Angeles and San Francisco. Louganis completed that a few years back, without the benefit of being a trained cyclist. He figures with the right training he can conquer the 1.7 miles of open water facing him, too.
Olympic swimmer and triathlete Hayley Peirsol – sister of five-time Olympic gold medalist Aaron Peirsol – has been offering Louganis advice and training tips. That’s pretty crucial for someone who’s been out of the water for most of the last two decades, and who remembers “swallow(ing) half the pool” when swimming the 100m butterfly in high school. Basically – he’s no swimmer! Nonetheless, he says he is up for any challenge, pointing out “I wasn’t that much of a biker” before completing the LifeCycle.
And it’s not like Louganis is not physically fit. The 50-year-old health nut has a regular fitness regimen, and reports that he is in good health. (He was diagnosed HIV-positive in 1988.) His focus these days is on yoga, spin classes and weight-training. It’s much different, he says, than when he was in his 20s and was being told what to do by trainers; nowadays he gets to train his own way, which makes it all the more rewarding.
Aside from the regular training, he says he is able to stay healthy through his four-legged friends. He regularly takes his Great Danes to dog agility competitions, and is a big proponent of animals as therapy providers.
“I was diagnosed in ’88; since (then) there have been so many treatments and trials … a lot of times (the dogs) were the reason I got up in the morning.
“I had my Danes; they stayed by my side and kept me company. They gave me strength.”
Strength is something Louganis will never be accused of lacking. He needed it as a 16-year-old California kid feeling tremendous pressure to topple world best Klaus Dibiasi at the 1976 Games. (Louganis took silver.) He called upon it when, as the overwhelming favorite, he had to sit out the 1980 Olympics due to the U.S.-led boycott, and wait an extra four years for his chance at gold. And he summoned it when, six months after learning of his HIV status, he overcame hitting his head on the springboard to sweep the diving events for the second Olympics in a row. Since those days as a diver, Louganis has shown strength in coming out – first as a gay man, then as a man living with HIV.
When the subject of gay athletes throughout history comes up, Louganis’s name is always one of the first to be mentioned, probably as often as Martina Navratilova. When Australian diver Matthew Mitcham won gold in the 10m Platform in 2008, he did so as an out gay man. Louganis witnessed a watershed moment in sports – a time when being out is possible.
“I understand what he was trying to get at,” said Louganis. “He just couldn’t live that duality any more.”
In the 1990s, Louganis had fears of being viewed as “the gay diver” instead of just “a diver.” The ramifications of coming out and being out at that time were much greater, and Louganis was pleased to see the respect and admiration heaped upon Mitcham for his decision to be out. But this is not to say that Louganis hasn’t had an impact on gay equality and on our culture. His best-selling book Breaking the Surface told his story, and the subsequent television movie introduced millions more to what he had to say. He also produced a video diary called “Looking To the Light,” which picked up where Breaking the Surface left off. In the years since his diagnosis was made public, Louganis has been an outspoken HIV awareness advocate.
Outside the advocacy circle, he has dabbled in acting, which is what he studied while at the University of Miami and University of California-Irvine. His numerous roles include that of a swimming coach in Watercolors, which has been making its way though the festival circuit the last two years.
But he will always find time for addressing social issues and helping youth empower themselves. In addition to joining the fight in overturning California’s Prop 8 (which bans same-sex marriage), Louganis is part of a new online high school based in southern California that will cater to GLBT students who don’t feel safe in their public school. The former El Cajon and Valhalla High kid is now offering a Greg Louganis scholarship. Although he is still regarded as the “Greatest Diver Who Ever Lived” Greg Louganis is aiming to have an even greater impact on the lives of today’s young people.
GREG LOUGANIS ON …
His 1976 Silver Medal: “It took years and years before I could hold that medal with any pride … because I thought I was a loser. I had been prepped to beat Klaus Dibiasi, and when I didn’t I felt I let everyone down.”
Chinese Dominance in Diving: “The state of diving in the world today – it’s the entire world chasing China. China was very smart; they used me as a model. And they’ve improved on that model so now they have their own model.”
Winning His Final Gold: “There was a lot happening, physically and emotionally. Hitting my head on the springboard was one of those mixed blessings. I was the odds-on favorite to win, which is a lot of pressure. In that split second I automatically became the underdog.”
THE GREG LOUGANIS FILE
Claim to Glory: 4-time Olympic gold medalist in diving
Residence: Malibu, Calif.
Relationship Status: Partners with Daniel McSwiney
What Diving Has Taught Him: Nobody achieves greatness on their own
Favorite Athletes: The contestants on So You Think You Can Dance
Greatest Diving Memory: Winning his final Olympic gold medal on his final dive
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El Cajon couldn't have been a fun place to be a gay teen in the 1970s. Congrats to you, Greg, for pursuing your goals and overcoming all obstacles in your path. May your future remain full of health and hope.
I remain your admirer,
A former swimmer
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