One year ago, Norwegian decathlete Jonathan Hertwig-Ødegaard touched down in Austin, Texas to begin a new chapter at the Texas Longhorns, and he’s already making waves on and off the track.
Hertwig-Ødegaard scored a massive personal best of 8,002 points in the decathlon in 2025, pushing him into the elite “8K club” of combined-events stars.
But his story is about more than athletic numbers — last year he came out publicly as gay, becoming one of the rare openly gay male decathletes in the world of elite sport.
As he settled into Texas for his freshman season, he posted an orange-themed “Year 1” photo and celebrated his adjustment to life in Austin, the Longhorn community, and the massive step of relocating overseas for sport.
In interviews he has spoken honestly about why visibility matters — not because every athlete should be a spokesperson, but because he hopes other young LGBTQ+ athletes can see someone like him competing and being free to be himself.
He’s aware that he’s ranked around #81 in the world for the decathlon, but emphasises that the bigger medal is the one he gives himself by living authentically and fiercely.
Training in Texas means competing in NCAA-level meets, pushing for podiums in multiple events, and embracing life in a new country — all while carrying the weight of being a role model for queer athletes at the same time.
Asked about his coming-out, he said: “I’m proud and happy with who I am, so if others have a problem, that’s their problem.” It’s a line that hit the internet and made a quiet statement: gay men belong on the track too.
He also made it clear that while the headlines are nice, what he really wants is a future where being gay isn’t news — just part of the background. “It shouldn’t be necessary that we talk about it so much,” he told Norwegian media.
Today, one year into his Texan adventure, Jonathan seems more grounded than ever — a top athlete, a visible queer man in sport, and a story in motion rather than a final chapter.
For his fans, the takeaway is simple: move boldly, train hard, stay true — and remember that the courage to be yourself is a medal in its own right.