Greg Louganis isn’t just one of the most accomplished out athletes in history.
The Olympic legend is also one of the most revered. His four gold medals, and one silver, will forever place him among sporting greats.
But his advocacy work for HIV and AIDS carries him into another stratosphere.
When Louganis revealed he was HIV-positive in his 1995 autobiography, he became one of the highest-profile gay men in the world to talk about the disease. For nearly 30 years, Louganis has worked tirelessly to bring attention and understanding to the epidemic.
With that in mind, it isn’t surprising Louganis was honored recently at the National AIDS Memorial in San Francisco, as part of World AIDS Day. The American icon shared his story, which has inspired countless LGBTQ+ folx and people living with HIV and AIDS around the world.
One of those people is Brett Arthur Van Sledright, a gay athlete in the Bay Area. He penned a special poem honoring Louganis for his work on World AIDS Day.
The poem is below. It was first published on Outsports:
Upon his diving board, a figure poised,
Greg Louganis, grace in dives composed.
A watershed deep, his prowess undisguised,
Olympic height, where victories enclosed.
Yet, not confined to pools of accolades,
His legacy, a beacon shining bright.
On World AIDS Day, his courage cascades,
A champion for those in silent fight.
Through fluid arcs, he battled more than air,
HIV’s tide, a challenge unafraid.
With openness, he sought to share,
To break the silence, myths began to fade.
On this revered day, we turn our gaze,
To a mister Greg Louganis, a hero’s humble grace.
That’s some beautiful prose, if we say so ourselves. Van Sledright told Outsports Louganis is one of his heroes.
“Louganis’s impact on this World AIDS Day is profound remembrance, a reminder that strength takes on many forms,” he said. “His advocacy work, like ripples in his pool, has touched countless lives, fostering understanding and a kind compassion we ought only ever sought.”
Van Sledright is participating in the 2024 AIDS/LifeCycle, and donors can contribute to his efforts here. The ride is 545 miles long, taking participants throughout California’s beautiful countryside.
It’s fitting that Van Sledright is honoring Louganis with a herculean athletic feat. The 63-year-old diver is one of the greatest Olympians ever.
Louganis became a household name when he captured silver at the 1976 Olympics, and was a favorite to win gold at the 1980 Games, though the U.S. boycott prevented him from competing.
Two years later, Louganis won a couple of titles at the world championships, where he received a perfect score of 10 from all seven judges.
At the 1984 Olympics in Los Angeles, Louganis became an American hero. He won gold in two events, trouncing all of the competition.
But his most legendary performance came four years later, when he became the only man to sweep both diving events at consecutive Olympics. Before the Seoul Games got underway, Louganis suffered a terrible accident, splitting his head open after striking down the diving board during the preliminary rounds. He suffered a concussion; and yet, bounced back to win gold.
Later, Louganis revealed he was dealing with much more than an injured head at the 1988 Games. He was also HIV positive.
At the time, going public wasn’t an option, he told CBS San Francisco.
“That was so challenging. I was actually competing in a country, Korea, that I wouldn’t have been allowed had they known my HIV status,” he said. “We’ve come a long way from that point, but there’s a lot of education that needs to be done.”
Though the news was devastating, Louganis says he was lucky to be competing in the Olympics. It kept his mind from dwelling on his diagnosis, which at the time was thought to be a death sentence.
“It was actually a blessing, because rather than focus on my disease, I had diving to focus on,” he said. “I think that’s probably a good part of the reason I’m still here. We’ve made so many advances in treatment and all of that. I feel like I was blessed, because I didn’t get sucked into the diagnosis.”
Thirty-five years after his HIV diagnosis, Louganis is living a vibrant and prosperous life. Earlier this year, he auctioned off three of his Olympic medals (two golds and one silver) to support HIV/AIDS and LGBTQ+ organizations.
Always eager to share his story, it’s apparent Louganis was touched to be in San Francisco for the memorial ceremony Friday.
Gay athletes like Van Sledright ensure that Louganis’ wonderful legacy will live on.
Kangol2
Greg Louganis is a gold medalist in the Olympics, in his activism and in his life! We need many more people like him.