Gus Kenworthy is back on the podium and honestly the gays have not stopped screaming since the moment the results dropped.
The out Olympic freestyle skier returned to competition for the first time in four years and walked away with a gorgeous shiny third place finish that felt every bit like a comeback moment wrapped in snowflakes and queer joy.
Gus shared the excitement on Instagram but the real tearjerker came from his boyfriend Andrew Rigby who posted a proud boyfriend moment with the kind of emojis that tell you everything you need to know about how loved this man is.
The energy around Gus right now feels like a full circle moment because this is a guy who has been a symbol of queer athletic visibility for nearly a decade.
He made global headlines in 2018 when he kissed his then boyfriend live on NBC during the PyeongChang Olympics creating one of the most iconic spontaneous queer visibility moments ever broadcast in winter sports.
That kiss still lives rent free in the hearts of LGBTQ fans who remember exactly where they were when a simple gesture became a milestone for representation.
But Gus has never been just one historic moment because his career has always blended athletic excellence with unapologetic authenticity and charming chaos in the best possible way.
He earned a silver medal for Team USA in slopestyle at the 2014 Sochi Olympics before later switching to compete for Great Britain after reclaiming his mother’s heritage and expanding a fresh chapter in his athletic journey.
After taking several years away from competitive skiing to focus on acting media work and activism Gus stepped back onto the slopes with a mix of nerves pride and that classic Kenworthy humor that fans adore.
His post about being “gagged” to return to the podium had everyone laughing because who else but Gus could describe a bronze medal moment in a way that feels like a drag brunch confession.
In his caption he thanked his fellow competitors including Brendan Mackay and Luke Tharold who took the top spots and he also gave a shoutout to Shaun White and The Snow League for organizing the event.
The camaraderie between athletes in this competition felt warm and genuine which makes Gus’s bronze feel even more like a celebration rather than a rivalry.
Meanwhile Andrew Rigby’s quiet but heartfelt support continues to give fans everything because their relationship has steadily become one of the sweetest queer love stories in sports culture.
Andrew has been cheering for Gus publicly and privately and his emotional “So proud of my guy” moment is exactly the kind of wholesome boyfriend energy the internet needs during the winter sports season.
Together they embody a version of athletic life that is competitive fierce and still grounded in soft queer love that shines just as brightly as any medal ceremony backdrop.
Gus’s return to competition shows that you can step away regroup rediscover yourself and still come back swinging with style personality and a podium finish.
For fans who have followed him since the Olympic kiss era this moment feels like a second chapter unfolding right before our eyes and it is already giving legendary energy.
Whether this marks a full competitive comeback or just a joyful winter cameo the message is clear that Gus Kenworthy remains one of the most magnetic authentic and lovable figures in LGBTQ sports history.
And if this is his warm up run then bring on the next event because the gays will absolutely be tuning in with their hot chocolate their ski emojis and their hearts fully invested.
📷 IG: @ guskenworthy