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Star Australian cricketer Elyse Villani comes out as gay

‘It’s always important for me to try and be myself,’ she says.

England v Australia - ICC Women's World Cup 2017
Elyse Villani
Photo by Stu Forster/Getty Images

Elyse Villani is a star in the sport of cricket, which is huge in her native Australia and other countries. She is also now a “Proud Gay Athlete” as she posted on her Twitter feed.

“It is really important for me personally to always be myself, I know growing up I felt quite different as a young kid,” she explains on a Podcast.

“It would have been really helpful for me growing up to think there was someone just like me out there performing at the top level of their chosen sport.

“It’s always important for me to try and be myself and that’s something I try and live by.”

Villani is now competing in the Women’s World Cup of cricket and her coming out during such a huge event will raise the profile of gay athletes in Australia.

You can listen to Villani discuss her decision.