The Olympic Games have long stood as a cultural cornerstone for countries to showcase some of the greatest talent around the globe. As LGBTQ+ rights, recognition and advocacy continue to grow, we’re witnessing a cultural shift as more athletes are openly existing as themselves in and out of their teams.
To date, the number of LGBTQ+ athletes participating in the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games is greater than those who took part in all previous summer Olympic events – making this year’s Games a monumental moment for both queer athletes and audiences.
Team GB has 13 openly LGBTQ+ athletes competing for a medal at this year’s event, including Tom Daley, Carl Hester, Saskia Budgett and Tom Bosworth. The Team GB women’s football squad has five openly LGBTQ+ players too.
The United States leads the way with the most openly LGBTQ+ athletes who will appear at the 2020 Games. Their total of 47 openly LGBTQ+ athletes includes Sue Bird, Megan Rapinoe, Nick Wagman, Erica Sullivan and Kayla Miracle.
Canada has the second most out LGBTQ+ athletes with 33, while the Netherlands are third with 20.
But it’s New Zealand who is making history this year, with Laurel Hubbard becoming the first ever out trans athlete to compete in a solo event at the Olympic Games. She will be hoping for a medal in the weightlifting event.
After coming out as trans last year, Canadian football star Quinn will make their return to the Olympics this summer. They will be hoping for another medal for their team after scoring a bronze back in 2016.
There’s plenty of incredible LGBTQ+ talent at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games this year who will add to Team LGBTQ’s growing medal tally. To date, LGBTQ+ athletes have won 93 gold, 75 silver and 61 bronze medals.
Now, as the grand sporting ceremony edges closer, we’ve taken the time to put together a guide of more than 100 LGBTQ+ athletes who will be starring in the 2020 Olympics. While all the athletes we have included are out, not all of them have opted to publicly label themselves, so we have only included information that feels relevant to each sportsperson’s achievements and LGBTQ+ identity.
As a whole, this list has been curated to highlight and platform the courageous sportspeople joining the Olympics. However, this list is not exclusive and there are likely LGBTQ+ athletes that have chosen not to publicly disclose their identity out of preference, safety, or personal choice. These athletes are equally respected and supported for their achievements.
Below is the full list of the historic number of LGBTQ+ athletes competing in the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games.
Argentina
Cecilia Carranza Saroli – Sailing
Australia
Robyn Lambird – Wheelchair racing
Leilani Mitchell – Basketball
Sharni Williams – Rugby
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Poppy Starr Olsen – Skateboarding
Sam Kerr – Football
Chloe Logarzo – Football
Teagan Micah – Football
Tameka Yallop – Football
Kaia Parnaby – Softball
Sam Stosur – Tennis
Belgium
Julie Allemand – Basketball
Kim Mestdagh – Basketball
Ann Wauters – Basketball
Domien Michiels – Equestrian
Alison van Uytvanck – Softball
Brazil
Silvana Lima – Surfing
Douglas Souza – Volleyball
Tifanny Abreu – Volleyball
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Isadora Cerullo – Rugby
Andressa Alves – Football
Marta da Silva – Football
Ana Marcela Cunha – Swimming
Ana Carolina da Silva – Volleyball
Canada
Ness Murby – Para-athletics
Quinn – Football
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Annie Guglia – Skateboarding
Shaina Pellington – Basketball
Florence Maheu – Canoe Slalom
Georgia Simmerling – Cycling Track
Alena Sharp – Golf
Bárbara Barbosa – Football
Kadeisha Buchanan – Football
Stephanie Labbé – Football
Erin McLeod – Football
Kailen Sheridan – Football
Larissa Franklin – Softball
Markus Thormeyer – Swimming
Gabriela DeBues-Stafford – Athletics
Chile
Yenny Acuña Berrios – Football
Christiane Endler – Football
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Fernanda Pinilla – Football
Cyprus
Andri Eleftheriou – Shooting
Denmark
Cathrine Dufour – Equestrian
Finland
Cathrine Dufour – Swimming
France
Astrid Guyart – Fencing
Alexandra Lacrabère – Handball
Amandine Buchard – Judo
Mélanie Henique – Swimming
Great Britain
Tom Daley – Diving
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Carl Hester – Equestrian
Susannah Townsend – Field Hockey
Mel Reid – Golf
Tom Bosworth – Athletics, race walk
Saskia Budgett – Rowing
Megan Jones – Rugby
Celia Quansah – Rugby
Rachel Daly – Football
Fran Kirby – Football
Jill Scott – Football
Demi Stokes – Football
Carly Telford – Football
India
Dutee Chand – Athletics
Ireland
Aoife Cooke – Athletics
Jack Woolley – Taekwondo
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Kellie Harrington – Boxing
Italy
Valentina Petrillo – Para-athletics
Rachele Bruni – Swimming
Mexico
Anissa Urtez – Softball
Netherlands
Edward Gal – Equestrian
Hans Peter Minderhoud – Equestrian
Maarten Hurkmans – Rowing
Anouk Dekker – Football
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Sisca Folkertsma – Football
Vivianne Miedema – Football
Sherida Spitse – Football
Daniëlle van de Donk – Football
Shanice van de Sanden – Football
Stefanie Van Der Gragt – Football
Merel van Dongen – Football
Demi Schuurs – Tennis
New Zealand
Laurel Hubbard – Weightlifting
Anton Down-Jenkins – Equestrian
Grace O’Hanlon – Field Hockey
Emma Twigg – Rowing
Kelly Brazier – Rugby
Gayle Broughton – Rugby
Ruby Tui – Rugby
Portia Woodman – Rugby
Abby Erceg – Football
Hannah Wilkinson – Football
Peru
Sofia Mulanovich – Surfing
Philippines
Margielyn Didal – Skateboarding
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Poland
Jolanta Ogar – Sailing
Puerto Rico
Dayshalee Salamán – Basketball
Spain
Paula Ginzo – Basketball
Sweden
Nathalie Hagman – Handball
Tessie Savelkouls – Judo
Magda Eriksson – Football
Lina Hurtig – Football
Hedvig Lindahl – Football
Caroline Seger – Football
Tonga
Amini Fonua – Swimming
USA
Nikki Hiltz – Athletics
Chelsea Wolfe – BMX
Megan Rapinoe – Football
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Hannah Roberts – BMX
Perris Benegas – BMX
Sue Bird – Basketball
Chelsea Gray – Basketball
Brittney Griner – Basketball
Sabrina Lozada-Cabbage – Basketball
Breanna Stewart – Basketball
Diana Taurasi – Basketball
Rashida Ellis – Boxing
Evy Leibfarth – Canoe Slalom
Nick Wagman – Equestrian
Kendall Chase – Rowing
Gia Doonan – Rowing
Meghan O’Leary – Rowing
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Ellen Tomek – Rowing
Julian Venonsky – Rowing
Alev Kelter – Rugby
Kristen Thomas – Rugby
Alexis Sablone – Skateboarding
Alana Smith – Skateboarding
Tierna Davidson – Football
Adrianna Franch – Football
Kelley O’Hara – Football
Ally Carda – Softball
Amanda Chidester – Softball
Taylor Edwards – Softball
Haylie McCleney – Softball
Erica Sullivan – Swimming
Erica Bougard – Athletics, heptathlete
Raven Saunders – Athletics, shotput
Kayla Miracle – Wrestling
Venezuela
Yulimar Rojas – Athletics, triple jump
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