Courage of Dame Kelly is pure gold

Olympic legend Dame Kelly Holmes inspired a generation of young athletes with her exploits on the track. Now she is set to inspire a new generation by revealing she is gay.

In a candid and moving interview in today’s Sunday Mirror, Dame Kelly speaks of the emotional toll she endured from decades of having to cover up her sexuality.

She tells of how she feared being prosecuted as a young soldier, due to homosexuality in the Armed Forces being banned at the time.

And how she could not fully enjoy her gold medal winning victories at the Athens Olympics because she feared being outed.

Having to suppress her sexuality affected her mental wellbeing, leading her to self-harm.

The experience of Dame Kelly – the loneliness and torment that comes with not being able to be your true self – will be familiar to many young gay and trans people today.

That is why she deserves so much respect for sharing her story.

Aspiring young gay sportsmen and sportswomen now know that they are not alone, and that they do not have to pretend to be something they are not.

Thankfully, attitudes towards homosexuality are changing.

As Dame Kelly observes in her interview, you’re now more likely to be drummed out of the Army for homophobia than for being gay.

But the battle for equality and tolerance is far from won – as the recent rise in hate crimes towards LBGTQ+ people proves.

There are few prominent gay people in the higher echelons of our major sports.

By coming out, Dame Kelly is not just helping to break down barriers – she is also sending a vital message of hope to young athletes of the future.