Out Olympic Swimmer Nick Albiero Will Compete For Brazil At Paris 2024
Nick Albiero is an American swimming champion who has made the choice to switch teams for the upcoming Olympic Games in Paris. Albiero will now be with the Brazilian Swimming Federation and hopes that he can pay tribute to his heritage, reports Swim Swam.
Nick Albiero is Proud in every way
His decision to switch comes with mixed emotions but is driven by the desire to support LGBTQIA+ visibility in sports and be a role model for others. “I am filled with mixed emotions leaving USA Swimming. However, there are so many exciting opportunities ahead and will forever be grateful for all of the support I have received from my family, team, and sponsors during my time representing the University of Louisville and Team USA,” he says in a press release.
“I am confident that this transition will contribute significantly to my development not only as an athlete but as a person, and will put me in a great position moving forward to the Paris Olympics. I couldn’t be more excited.”
Albiero publicly came out as gay in 2022 and strives to create a positive impact for LGBTQIA+ kids in sports.
Ahead of his big move, Albiero has also begun training at a Brazilian swim club and has posted pictures to Instagram of his new adventure. Albiero also posted during Pride month with a link to an essay he wrote titled After The Storm Comes A Rainbow.
In this essay he speaks about the important role that swimming has played in his life and even in his coming out. Albiero says that he used to hide behind the sport and the stringent training routine to avoid acknowledging truths about his sexuality.
“I used swimming as a distraction. The sport became my full focus early on and I kind of enjoyed the fact that I was always busy swimming,” he writes.
But, when it came to coming out, watching athletes at the 2021 Olympic Games helped bring him to a place where he felt ready to come out. “I share all of this to say: you are never alone and the people who are meant to be in your life will accept you for who you truly are,” he writes.
Looking ahead to Paris 2024, Albiero will serve as a role model for young LGBTQIA+ individuals globally, irrespective of the nation he represents.
