American Timothy LeDuc makes history as first openly non-binary competitor at a Winter Olympics
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Published 19/02/2022 at 10:18 GMT
Anthony LeDuc said it had been a "joyous moment" to take to the ice with partner Ashley Cain-Gribble in the Beijing Games' short programme. The pair recorded a season's best score of 74.13 to finish seventh, progressing to the final free skate on Saturday. LeDuc said they had "overcome so many different things" in their respective careers to reach this point.
Ashley Cain-Gribble and Timothy Leduc from USA at Figure Skating, Beijing 2022 Winter Olympic Games, Capital Indoor Stadium on February 18, 2022 in Beijing, China.
Image credit: Getty Images
American Timothy LeDuc became the first openly non-binary competitor to compete at a Winter Olympics after featuring in the pairs figure skating.
LeDuc, who uses the gender-neutral pronouns they/them, and partner Ashley Cain-Gribble recorded a season's best score of 74.13 in the short programme at Beijing 2022, progressing to Saturday's final free skate.
It was an historic moment for LeDuc but one of great significance for Cain-Gribble too, who has also admitted to being "body-shamed" for her height.
"It was such a joyous moment for us out there today," LeDuc said.
"I think both Ashley and I have had to overcome so many different things so many times when people have told us no or that we don't belong.
"Both Ashley and I, we had something to prove. I hope people watching us feel like maybe there is space for them to come into figure skating. And for them to be able to celebrate what makes them unique and different.
"I know for me, people who are non-binary, it's only possible because amazing queer people have come before me and laid the groundwork for me.
"And so now I want to do that for others to come after as well."
LeDuc had said in the build-up to the Olympics that they are now trying to improve the experiences of upcoming athletes through a mentorship programme with the United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee’s Athlete Advisory Council.
The 31-year-old said: "We are now trying to pass on that information to the young and up-and-coming skaters, so that they can be even better athletes, so that they can have even better experiences in the sport and maybe they can avoid some of the obstacles that we all faced in the sport, if they get this information ahead of time."
According to sports news site Outsports, as many as 36 openly LGBTQ+ athletes have competed in Beijing - double the number from Pyeongchang four years ago.
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The Olympic Games will return with Paris 2024, live on Eurosport and discovery+.
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