Billy competed in three diving events: the 1- and 3-meter springboard as well as the platform. He won gold medals in all three. Pretty impressive, right? And he's only at the beginning of competing in this sport. "I'm actually new to diving," he tells us. "I've always been interested in learning and I just started last fall. I was a nationally ranked gymnast when I was younger (I'm 43 now), and the muscle memory for flipping and twisting is still there so I'm picking up quickly." We'll say -— hard to see how you could pick it up any quicker. And he's been having success all year leading up to Cologne. "In May I competed in a national Masters competition and had a great meet (two bronzes) so I thought I might give the Games a shot. I'm so glad I did because it was an amazing experience."
We also asked Billy to tell us about his favorite Games moments. "Besides being on top of the podium, the most memorable part of the Gay Games was the opening ceremony," he says (though it's hard to imagine anything beating that podium vista!). "It was so inspiring to see thousands of athletes from all over the world march into the stadium. The mood in the arena was incredibly uplifting. It felt great to be a part of a community of people that was so focused on health and fitness. Everyone was very friendly, easy to talk to and really excited about being there."
This is a key aspect of the Games —- the blend of talent and inclusion. "It felt so good to have trained as hard as I have this year and compete well," Billy says. But there was more to the experience for him than winning. "It was also great to have met some incredible divers from many other countries.They were all so nice and helpful and the atmosphere of the competition was very friendly. An awesome thing about the Games which most people don't realize is that you don't have to be an expert in a sport to go there and compete. There is no qualifying event and anyone regardless of age or ability level can enter and compete in the sport of their choice."
Of course, it doesn't hurt to be in really amazing shape:
That means that there's no reason not to think about going yourself—a point Billy's own experience highlights: "I highly recommend going to Cleveland in 2014 to anyone training for a sport. Or like me, you can pick a new sport you've always fantasized about doing. It's four years from now, so go for it! I'll see you there." In fact, you could also be like Billy and find sponsoring, in his case through Treasure Island Media. "They have been and continue to be incredibly supportive in helping me pursue my competitive diving goals."
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