46 Friday Sports Friday, February 9, 2018 American and gay: Rippon, Kenworthy make history

First openly gay US men competing at Winter Olympics

PYEONGCHANG: Adam Rippon and Gus Ken- According to US media, Pence also denied a sep- worthy will have groundbreaking performances at arate USA Today report yesterday saying he Pyeongchang no matter how they perform, being reached out for a conversation with Rippon in the first openly gay US men competing at a Winter Pyeongchang and was rejected. Olympics. British-born Kenworthy will try to im- prove upon the freestyle skiing slopestyle silver ‘More marketable now’ medal he won in 2014 at Sochi, while figure skater Kenworthy, 26, recalled his worries before Rippon, the 2016 US men’s champion, competes in coming out in a magazine article. “That was a his first Olympics. Both went public with their ho- scary time but it was something I wanted to do. I mosexuality in October 2015, and felt better for it. didn’t sleep the night before the magazine came “When I came out I was scared of losing spon- out,” he said. Kenworthy recalled his fingers trem- sors and losing fan base,” bling as he sent the news Kenworthy said. “It has to his Twitter followers. “I been just the opposite.” was so scared,” he said. Rippon, 28, said he found Pence slammed “As soon as I posted it I it liberating to reveal his for backing gay had likes coming back. I most personal secret, re- had guys on my own viving his passion for conversion team calling me, guys skating. “When I came therapy who called me ‘faggot’ out was when I was able were calling and apolo- to breathe,” Rippon said. gizing. A world had lifted. “When everyone knew, I “I was ready for the didn’t feel like I was hid- worst-case scenario. I GANGNEUNG: US skater Adam Rippon practices at Gangneung Ice Arena ahead of the team event of the ing anything.” saw the opposite impact right away.” For one men’s figure skating before the Pyeongchang 2018 Winter Olympic Games in Gangneungon. — AFP Rippon has attacked US Vice-President Mike thing, his skiing improved with one less secret on Pence, the official US delegation leader, for al- his mind. “I don’t know if it was because I was in legedly backing gay conversion therapy-an accu- the closet but it was ever-present in my mind and known that it would have given me so much hope for sure and scorn online,” Kenworthy said. “I still sation Pence denies. “I would absolutely not go out it took me out of my moment,” Kenworthy said. and saved me so much heartache,” Kenworthy get messages every day.” Rippon, twice a world of my way to meet somebody who I felt has gone “My abilities hadn’t changed. And I was able to ski said. “I’m more marketable now that I’m out junior champion, said on Twitter that being a gay out of their way to not only show that they aren’t better.” And the sponsors he feared might shun there. I’m glad they are embracing diversity.” athlete “is exactly like being a straight athlete. a friend of a gay person but that they think that him instead embraced him. That’s not to say his revelation was without Lots of hard work, but usually done with better they’re sick,” Rippon told USA Today last month. “Products are looking for diversity. If I had haters and social media trolls. “There was hate eyebrows”. —AFP

City-born son of Chinese immigrants has emerged as a seri- Will ‘Ice Prince’ ous contender to Hanyu’s crown with his high-risk, quad- heavy routine. From October to December Chen won three Grand Prix Hanyu stay cool competitions, defeating Hanyu along the way, before an em- phatic triumph in the US championships last month. “Eigh- Anime, technology on under pressure? teen years we’ve been looking at the rings and now we’re here. It’s really cool to have that happen,” said the excited 18-year-old on Wednesday. Chen is the first skater in the offer; Japan promote GANGNEUNG: Japan’s “Ice Prince” Yuzuru Hanyu must history of the sport to line up five quads in a four-and-a- recover from serious injury and see off the challenge of half-minute free dance routine. Others with claims to American quad sensation Nathan Chen if he is to claim the Hanyu’s crown include his compatriot and world champi- 2020 Olympic Games first back-to-back Olympic men’s figure skating titles in onship runner-up Shoma Uno, Canada’s Patrick Chan and GANGNEUNG: Traditional paper cranes and some of the latest tech- nearly 70 years. The floppy-haired superstar alarmed his China’s Jin Boyang. nology are on offer as Japan seeks to promote itself as the host of the legion of fans when he damaged ankle ligaments in Novem- next Olympic Games in 2020, with organizers hoping to inherit the ber, and has since been training behind closed doors. All of Teenage tussle enthusiasm and fervor of Pyeongchang 2018 hosts. Tokyo will host the Japan are willing on Hanyu, who is aiming to become the The women’s competition will be dominated by the tussle summer games for the second time, following the tremendously suc- first man to secure back-to-back titles since American Dick between Alina Zagitova and her fellow Russian teen Evgenia cessful 1964 Olympics, and organizers have brought a large delegation Button in 1952. Medvedeva who, like Hanyu, saw her build-up marred by in- to Pyeongchang to learn how to host them successfully. Japanese The 23-year-old from Sendai is the polished product, jury. The two-time world champion returned after a two- Prime Minister Shinzo Abe will also arrive in South Korea today to at- combining innate technical ability with emotionally intelligent month lay-off at the European Championships in tend the opening ceremonies. performances. But the right ankle injury he suffered in No- mid-January, but was edged out by her 15-year-old training But yesterday it was all about introducing the fun side of Japan at vember has seen his standing as favorite for a repeat gold partner Zagitova, who has enjoyed a sensational first season the Tokyo 2020 Japan House, which opens to the public as the Games slip. He misses the team event, which kicks off action at the on the senior circuit. officially get going on Friday. On offer were cameras allowing visitors Gangneung Ice Arena today, after completing his prepara- Both are competing under a neutral flag as “Olympic ath- to imprint their face on paper used to make traditional folded cranes tions at a secret location. letes from Russia” (OAR) as their country serves a ban for and others that create life-size avatars that then romp through typical “He will be 100 percent,” promised coach Brian Orser, state-sponsored doping. “At the Olympics we will be com- Tokyo street scenes on a huge screen. “We will see an unprecedented who also has two time ex-world champion Javier Fernandez peting under the white flag, but we are still ‘Athletes from run of three consecutive Olympics in Asia - Pyeongchang 2018, Tokyo under his wing. Fernandez, the veteran Spaniard, narrowly Russia’. In our souls, we know,” commented Zagitova.Others in 2020 and Beijing in 2022 - a chance for all Asia to cooperate to missed out on a first podium in Sochi and arrives at his swan- in contention are Italy’s Caroline Kostner, who picked up make these fun,” said Yukihiro Nunomura, Chief Operating Officer at song Games in form after claiming a sixth consecutive Euro- bronze four years ago, and Canadians Kaetlyn Osmond and Tokyo 2020. — Reuters pean title in Moscow. Chen, too, is flying. The Salt Lake Gabrielle Daleman. — AFP