Freestyle skier Gus Kenworthy has been confirmed a place at the Beijing Winter Olympics. Kenworthy, who skied for Team USA at the 2014 and 2018 games, announced in 2019 that he would be switching to Team GB.
On Friday, the British Olympic Association confirmed Kenworthy would be part of their team. The country is sending 50 athletes to Beijing.
Great Britain is not known for producing many medal-winning freestyle skiers, but Kenworthy’s inclusion in the squad was not guaranteed after he reported experiencing some lingering health problems following a Covid infection late last year. Clearly, he’s managed to put those behind him—as confirmed by him taking a silver medal at the Winter X Games in Aspen, Colorado, on the weekend.
Kenworthy will compete in the Men’s Freeski Halfpipe in China.
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Related: Gus Kenworthy opens up about recent health problems, appeals for help
Kenworthy was born in Chelmsford, England. His family relocated to Colorado in the US when he was three. His mother is British and he holds a British passport.
He explained at the time, “Although I was raised in the US I was born in the UK and my mum is British through-and-through. She has been my #1 fan for my entire life and has proudly stood at the bottom of the mountain waving the stars and stripes in support of me for two Olympic cycles.
“Now, in what is sure to be my last Olympic appearance, I’d like to return the honor by proudly holding up the British flag for her.”
Gus Kenworthy’s boyfriend
Meanwhile, E! News has revealed the identity of Kenworthy’s partner.
Supporting Kenworthy on the slopes in Aspen on the weekend was Adam Umhoefer, a foundation executive at Creative Artists Agency. The men were snapped kissing and the pic was shared online by photographer Douglas Friedman.
Related: Gus Kenworthy makes a splash on Greek vacation … and is that a new boyfriend?
Kenworthy and Umhoefer (pronounced oomhayfur) have actually been an item for the past two years, claims E! News. According to a source, they live together in Los Angeles. Kenworthy has included photos of Umhoefer on his Instagram but has not tagged him. You can see Umhoefer with his arm around Kenworthy in this Provincetown photo from last summer below.
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“Gus and Adam have been in a committed relationship for over two years,” an insider told E. “They live together and Adam will be cheering on Gus from home during the Beijing Olympics.”
“They like to keep as much about their relationship as private as they can, but they love and support one another endlessly.”
The Winter Olympics begins on February 4. Check out a video below about Kenworthy’s Olympic journey and why coming out was so liberating for him. In it, Kenworthy’s mom reveals that she “always knew” her son was gay so it wasn’t a shock to her when he finally came out.
cuteguy
I hate when athletes come to our country to train and even live and don’t represent this great country. Yeah he may have represented USA for a couple of olympics so I don’t understand why he didn’t represent the good ol USA again for these Olympics. Nothing is better than to hear the Star Spangled Banner on top of the podium. If you want to represent another country, then live and train there. Very disappointing
jfabz
In his case, there are skiers that have surpassed him in skills and rankings. He would not have qualified for the U.S. team.
Cam
Except multiple people live and train in countries other than what they represent. Tons of high profile athletes live in Monaco to avoid taxes, Novax Djocovitch doesn’t live in Serbia, etc.
A lot of American athletes will train in other countries at certain training facilities and foreign athletes come here to train.
Derek Northcutt
Sounds like a recrimination from a jilted lover.
SFMike
If he’s smart he is paving the way to make an exit from this sad failed state as we fall into fascism.
Caine
@SFMike I think you meant to say since we STOPPED our descent into fascism 12 months and 19 days ago.
DMos
I take it you simply didn’t read the article or else you would have understood that he’s a dual citizen in both the US and the UK; he has one parent from each country and has lived in both (albeit longer in the US). He’s played for the US, but he has every right to play for the UK as well.
Dymension
What. Ever. He holds dual citizenship. He can participate under whichever country he wishes.
Jim
Olympic completion is a bit of a joke.
Yes, the athletes who compete are at the top of their game, but it went down hill when you no longer had to be an amateur. And I don’t know for how long now they’ve been able to pick what country they want to “represent” depending on what team they think they can qualify for.
Fact of the matter their “pride” of representing “their” country is a smoke screen.
Cam
They don’t get to pick any country they want to represent. They have to be a citizen of that country, so in this rare instance, Kenworthy could decide between the U.S. and the UK.
IWantAFullBeard
Cam,
That’s not true. You don’t have to be a citizen to play for a country.
Alex_S
Every cutie needs a sugar daddy. Glad Gus has found one.
LifeinShaw
I would hardly call Adam a sugar daddy. He’s barely 40. I don’t think he’s rich but he is a very nice guy. Known him for years.
Desiderata
Any Athlete competing in the Beijing Winter Olympics has to explain why they don’t care about the “training centres” in Xinjiang.
Gold will be as respected as Paul Cena’s apology.
You’d think the LGBT++++ community would take a much stronger stand on this issue.
intensityderen
Kenworthy was born in Chelmsford in Essex, has a British passport, and has a mother from the U.K. as well, so in this case, switching nationalities is allowed. … He is dedicating what he is calling his final winter games to his mother, and in doing so wants to represent her home country.
DaveS
I got something in my eye whilst I listened to Gus’s story. He’s a role model that so many young people need more than ever. Best of luck Gus.
Desiderata
Would a role model compete in an Olympics where 1 million, likely closer to 2 million,people are being targeted by the government by using them in curved labour, forcing them into educating centres, forcing them to speak another language, forcing woman to sleep with Han Chinese men to eliminate their culture over the coming generation.
It would take true courage and principles to not compete in the Beijing Olympics.
dhmonarch89
because he spends all his time being a wannabee celeb, he never trains- so there was no way in hell he’d make the US team- so, he hoses some poor British kid out of a spot. I like this jerk less every year. He came into the last Olympics totally unprepared because he did a reality show right before the Games and got injured due to lack of training (all the intricate cuts and turns you have to do, if you’re not prepared- it goes bad quickly and you injure yourself).
BDAguy
Just a couple of thoughts: 1. Perhaps he will actually take this opportunity to actually perform to his highest ability versus his showing in Korea where he was far too into social media and the whole “look at me I’ve come out, aren’t I so cool”; 2. It would be nice to see an openly gay athlete trounce the Chinese in their own homophobic, xenophobic, human rights destroying turf.
nm4047
any major events held in China should be boycotted.
winemaker
china, the worlds biggest prison camp, sewer, toilet and just plain ole SHIT hole! There that about sums it up and anyone here who thinks the red chinese are friends of the USA needs to get their heads out of their collective asses, wake up smell the coffee and realize these commie bastards are no friends of the USA, never were friends of the USA and never ever will be friends of the USA or world freedom!. And sadly there are people here who admire this place and are doing their damnedest to make America a socialist SHITHOLE just like china and think socialism or communism’s the way to go.
kevkev
make America a socialist SHITHOLE, what are you talking about? most of the US wouldn’t know a socialist policy if it hit them in the face!
hansniemeijer
Very disappointing seeing people going to China. Kenworthy gets my thumbs down.