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Olympic medalist Gus Kenworthy floored by response after coming out

Talk to a freeskier, and within five minutes he’ll mention progress. It’s the lifeblood of the sport, moving it forward and pushing new boundaries.

Gus Kenworthy has certainly done that on the slopes.

On Thursday, he did it again — and in a more meaningful way than adding another spin or rotation. Kenworthy became the first action sports athlete to openly come out as gay, first telling his story to ESPN The Magazine.

“I feel just amazing to have it out there,” Kenworthy said in a phone interview. “It feels like a huge weight’s been taken off of my shoulders.