Spain’s Dennis Gonzalez Answers Homophobes With Four Medals At World Aquatics Championships
While critics were busy leaving homophobic comments on his social media, Spanish artistic swimmer Dennis Gonzalez was busy collecting hardware at the World Aquatics Championships in Singapore. The 21-year-old is heading home with four new medals, leaving the haters in his wake.
Gonzalez secured a gold in the mixed duet free, a silver in the mixed duet technical, and two bronze medals in the team free and team acrobatic events. “It’s a dream for us,” Gonzalez told World Aquatics, noting the difficulty of competing against the returning Russian team.
This success comes despite the constant anti-gay slurs he receives for participating in a historically female-dominated sport. After a video of him in an ice bath went viral in 2023, he was hit with a wave of abuse.
“It didn’t take long for comments like ‘what a f*ggot’ to start coming in,” he said at the time. His response was perfect. “Right now I don’t care, so thanks for that comment because it makes me more visible.”
While his sexual orientation is his own business, Gonzalez has always been direct about the prejudice. “People tell you that because you’re doing this sport you’re gay, and there’s no reason for that. Everyone can be who they want to be.”
Artistic swimming is a demanding combination of acrobatics, swimming, and dance. As Gonzalez sets his sights on the LA 2028 Olympics, his performance in and out of the pool says it all.
Check out the gold medal Heartbreak routine from Gonzalez and his partner Iris Tio Casas below.
