Olympic champion, Kelly Holmes, declares she is gay

Dame Kelly Holmes has declared openly she is gay, saying she "has to do this now".

During Pride month, the two-time gold medal-winning Olympic champion said she realized she was gay at the age of 17 after kissing a comrade and that her family and friends have known since 1997. "I had to do this now, for me," she told the Sunday Mirror. "It was my decision. I'm nervous to say it. I feel like exploding with excitement. Sometimes I cry with relief. The moment that comes out, I essentially get rid of that fear.”

Holmes, 52, also revealed that she has struggled with her mental health because she has had to conceal her sexuality and has had to keep several same-sex relationships she had while in the Women's Royal Army Corps secret for fear of being court-martialled. Until 2000, it was illegal for gay, lesbian and bisexual people to serve in the British Army, Royal Navy and RAF - and Holmes feared during her time in the armed forces she would still face consequences if she violated this law.

She contacted an LGBTQ+ military leader in 2020 to see if she could be sanctioned for violating army rules and was told she would not. She said: "I felt like I could breathe again, one little phone call could have saved 28 years of heartache."

Holmes also founded a charity in 2008, set up to help retired athletes make the transition from their sport and to create mentoring programs to attract young people from disadvantaged backgrounds to the sport.

Social media has been flooded with support for the Olympic champion. She has also started filming a documentary about her experience called Being Me, in which she speaks to LGBTQ+ soldiers about her life in the military.

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