A champion diver tipped to win gold in Beijing has made a splash by becoming Australia's first star athlete to come out.
Matthew Mitcham flung himself into the uncharted waters of gay sports celebrity last weekend, when he told of his quest to have his partner join him at the Olympics.
Mitcham, 20, is hoping partner Lachlan, also 20, will win a grant to allow him to attend the Games in August.
"We can't afford for Lachlan to go at the moment," Mitcham told the Sydney Morning Herald.
"But Johnson & Johnson offer grants to go to Beijing and I've nominated Lachlan as the support person I want to go."
Mitcham told the newspaper he didn't think he would have made the Olympic squad had it not been for his battles with depression over his identity and the emotional and physical "burn out" which caused him to retire from the sport for nine months while still a teenager.
"I probably wouldn't have as much of a fighting spirit," he said.
Mitcham said he had been a "free spirit" for the nine months he had retired from the sport.
"It was a break for me to explore myself and get familiar with who I really was and to be happy with who I really was. Just being a happier person really radiates into other areas of your life."
Mitcham credits Lachlan, coach Chava Sobrino, fellow diver and "best friend" Alex Croak and former athlete Sarina Bratton as the people who have helped him resurrect his career.
"That little support network has made my dream possible," Mitcham said.
"It would have been impossible and I probably wouldn't have made it without their help."
Mitcham's Olympic chances are looking strong having scored four perfect tens last week in Fort Lauderdale and beating two Chinese divers who will challenge him for the gold medal in Beijing.
A champion diver tipped to win gold in Beijing has made a splash by becoming Australia's first star athlete to come out.
