perfect 10

Champion diver Bryden Hattie finishes his college career with gold & the Olympics in his sights

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Bryden Hattie is finishing his college career at the top of the platform. The standout diver just won his fourth SEC title for the University of Tennessee, cementing his place as one of the greatest individual athletes in Volunteers history.

Hattie scored 475.20 on Friday, almost 80 points ahead of second-place Collier Dyer from Missouri. The triumph was Hattie’s third SEC Championship for platform diving.

Afterwards, Hattie said he was savoring his latest accomplishment.

“I was very stressed because the rest of the week I was kind of flopping,” he told the SEC ESPN Network. “To be able to put it down on tower tonight and finish my SEC career with a win was very exciting. I’m really happy.”

When Hattie completed his final dive, the result was never in doubt.

“This is the kind of diver you want on your collegiate team,” said one of the commentators.

We couldn’t agree more! Now, Hattie is gunning for the NCAAs.

In addition, Hattie finished fifth in the 3-meter and sixth in the 1-meter events. The Canadian native earned a spot in the championship final of all three events.

With the Paris Games just four months away, Hattie is building his Olympic resume. Last year, he competed for Canada at the Pan American Games in Chile, and also took part in the 2023 World Aquatics Championships.

Hattie wins medals inside of the pool, and hearts outside of it. The reigning SEC Diver of the Year is a social media sensation, with nearly 157,000 followers on TikTok.

Along with Team USA diver and bestie Tyler Downs, Hattie chronicled his every move in Santiago. We’ll take a double order of that queso, por favor!

@brydenhattie

Take me back to my home, CHILE ??? #YLACHEESE #YLAQUESO #santiago #santiagochile #chile2023 #chile #panamericangames #santiagodechile #sports #brydenhattie #ylaquesoporte??? #itgirls #canada

? IT GIRL OUT SEPT.30th – aliyahsinterlude
@brydenhattie

I.T G.I.R.L ????

? original sound – ????
@brydenhattie

Serving major y la cheese vibes rn ??? #chile #YLACHEESE #santiago #ylaquesoporte???

? sonido original – teresa_chavezge

As two of the top divers in the NCAA, Hattie and Downs are undoubtedly the “it girls” of their sport. Everywhere they go, they are fully loaded.

At the Pan Am Games, the duo took home gold when it came to serving.

10s, 10s, 10s across the board!

@brydenhattie

becoming the gay it girls rn ?@tylerdowns #chile #panamericangames #santiago #chile2023 #santiagodechile #sports #diving #canada #teamcanada

? ???????????? – supermodels – supermodels
@brydenhattie

WHAT HAVE WE DONE @tylerdowns #chile #panamericangames #santiago #santiagodechile #chile2023 #sports #diving

? original sound – Grindr

A self-proclaimed citizen of Gag City, Hattie is unapologetically gay. The six-time SEC medalist recognizes the power of his platform.

Posting a silly TikTok with Nikki Minaj blaring in the background is about more than paying homage to the rapper and modern gay icon. It’s about showing other gay athletes they can stan their favorite pop diva, too.

“I’m glad that there’s more visibility and that more people are coming out, despite the trolls,” Hattie told Outsports. “They should just breathe a little bit, get in touch with reality and accept that yes, there is going to be gays in sports.”

Despite only being in college, Hattie wants to be a role model for other LGBTQ+ athletes. During the 2022 Commonwealth Games, Hattie submitted a letter to Pride House Birmingham, which offers a safe space to congregate for LGBTQ+ athletes. 

In it, he wrote, “Everyone deserves the right to feel accepted and live their lives authentically.”

A brief perusal through Hattie’s social media channels shows he’s doing exactly that.

Slay, our speedo king!

A product of Gen Z, Hattie doesn’t have an official coming out story. He’s always just been himself.

One of his role models is another Canadian-born, champion college diver around his age: Aidan Faminoff. The Vancouver native shined at Florida State as his true self.

The two remain close today, with Hattie even attending one of Faminoff’s drag performances. (Queerty spoke to Faminoff last summer about his fierce drag persona, Hazel.)

“He went off to college in Florida and that’s when he came out. You could see how much he changed and I was beginning to experience that too—a feeling that I wanted to take that step,” said Hattie.

So far, it’s been mission accomplished. Hattie has fans across the world.

We wouldn’t expect anything less from one of sport’s top it girls.

@brydenhattie

IT GIRL DIVE ????

? original sound – collinfx

With an outsized personality and stunning lewks, we expect Hattie to garner headlines all year long. He boasts two tattoos on his forearms: Paris Hilton’s iconic catchphrase (“That’s Hot”) and the Pride colors.

For him, standing out is second nature.

“I’ll FaceTime my friends and they’ll say, ‘Why do you always have your shirt off?’ I don’t even realize I’m not wearing one!,” he said.

The gold medals and athletic accolades are nice. But Hattie’s flamboyant self-expression is even more impactful.

There are many out gay diving legends, from Greg Louganis to Tom Daley. Hattie is following their lead, one serve and perfect dive at a time.

Related:

Champion diver Bryden Hattie is gunning for the Olympics & living his best gay life on TikTok

Hattie is a champion diver at the University of Tennessee.

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