Greg Louganis got a surprise (early) 60th birthday celebration at Gold Meets Golden this weekend, as organizers Charley Cullen Walters and Scott Orlin teamed up with actor Matt Bomer to wish the Olympic legend a very happy birthday.
Louganis’ birthday is actually later this moth — Jan. 29 — but Walters and Bomer, who are both huge Olympic fans and fans of Louganis, wanted to be sure to recognize the legend at the event.
In addition to a cake with sparklers, Bomer led the crowd in singing “Happy Birthday,” which you can watch below.
Also attending Gold Meets Golden this year was Ian Thorpe, the swimmer from Australia with nine Olympic medals who has been dubbed “Thorpedo” for his speed in the water. Figure skater Randy Gardner was there with his partner, Jay Gendron, as well as his skating partner, Tai Babilonia. Former Dallas Cowboys linebacker Jeff Rohrer was also there with his husband, aesthetician Joshua Ross, as was rugger Phaidra Knight. Nancy Hogshead-Makar, the straight ally who won three Olympic golds and has advocated for keeping athletes safe from sexual assault and empowering athletes in their own lives, made the trip from Jacksonville to attend.
Out LGBTQ people from Hollywood in attendance included actor Ben Platt and producer Ryan Murphy. Many non-LGBTQ celebrities joined in the fun, including Nicole Kidman, Chris Evans, Naomi Watts, Taron Egerton, Jackie Joyner-Kersee, Willie Gault, Kristi Yamaguchi and many more.
The event is a fundraiser for Angel City Sports, which creates opportunities in adaptive sports for kids, adults, and veterans with physical disabilities or visual impairments.
Take a listen to Walters talking about his Olympic fandom and Gold Meets Golden on Five Rings To Rule Them All: