Simon Latimer Gay former elite New Zealand diver Simon Latimer is heading to the London Olympics this year, as a judge. The 30-year-old has had a quick rise through the ranks since becoming a Fina judge in 2008, and will be the youngest judge on the Olympic panel. The former New Zealand title holder retired from the top level at a young age in 2002, due to a spinal fracture. He’s excited about going to London for the Olympics, which is something of a dream come true in a different way, as London is ‘overtaken by sporting craziness,’ as he puts it. “I was injured and never really got to finish my diving off; I never got to go to the Olympics. “Most of all I just to be part of the competitions, I want to be judging because I like judging and it’s fun!” Latimer says diving is a pretty gay-friendly sport, spearheaded by the likes of Olympic gold medallists Greg Louganis and Matthew Mitcham. “It’s one of those sports that doesn’t have a majority of gay people, but there’s always been some highly-regarded gay athletes in the sport, and that extends to officialdom as well.” You can read a full feature on Latimer here
Credit: GayNZ.com Daily News staff
First published: Tuesday, 17th April 2012 - 4:46pm