Heath Thorpe, a gay athlete who is one of the best gymnasts in Australia, has been left off of the country’s team headed to the World Gymnastics Championships.
In an Instagram post, Thorpe said the decision broke his heart.
“Despite my many results and improvements this year alone, including my recent Australian All-Around title, I will not be one of the five Aussie gymnasts afforded an opportunity to compete in the biggest Olympic qualifier come October.
“It is an impossible task to summarize the overwhelming emotions that I am currently experiencing… but know that I will have more words to share soon with my friends, family and fans.”
The reason for his exclusion is not known, and Thorpe said he is currently unable to speak about it. It’s a surprise for many, given his National Championship in May. He also won the floor exercise and finished second in the horizontal bar at the Oceania Championships earlier this year.
Outsports has reached out to his representative for comment.
