Derrick Anderson, a sophomore hurdler on the Ohio State track and field team, came out during a campus event on gays in sport featuring Minnesota Vikings punter Chris Kluwe, a strong supporter of gay rights.
"I am an openly gay athlete here at Ohio State," Anderson tells Kluwe during a Q&A session. "I recently just came out this year to my coach and my team." Anderson feared he would be cut from the team, but instead has received support from his coach and teammates.
Anderson came out, the Cleveland Plain Dealer reports, by "letting his track teammates know through casual conversation, talking about his boyfriend, answering honestly if they asked if he was gay."
"Just normal every-day conversation," Anderson told The Plain Dealer, "making it so it's not like a big deal."
Anderson added that he thinks a gay men's basketball or football player would get a similar reaction.
Ohio State Athletic Director Gene Smith told Outsports in February that the school welcomes openly LGBT athletes and Anderson's experiences show this to be true.
