Gay athlete Lewis Gibson officially named to 2026 Winter Olympics team
Lewis Gibson tells Outsports of his excitement after being announced on the Great Britain figure skating team for the Milan Winter Olympics. The post Gay athlete Lewis Gibson officially named to 2026 Winter Olympics team appeared first on Outsports.
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A podium place and a Pride House after-party are on Lewis Gibson’s wishlist following confirmation that he is returning to the Winter Olympics next year in Milan.
The 31-year-old and his ice dance partner, Lilah Fear, will lead an eight-strong team of Great Britain figure skaters at the 2026 Milano Winter Olympics in February. It’s the biggest Team GB contingent in the sport at a Games since Sochi 2014.
It will be Gibson and Fear’s second Olympic outing, but so much has changed since they finished in 10th place in Beijing four years ago. The duo are currently ranked first in the ISU World Standing, having shown outstanding consistency over the course of the last three seasons.
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Two of the favorites for Milano-Cortina 2026 were first and second on the Grand Prix de France podium, both with 90s pop programs.
Following the bronze medals they won in both the World and European Championships towards the start of the year, they claimed gold at the NHK Trophy on the 2025/26 Grand Prix Series before taking another bronze at the GP Final last weekend.
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Now the target is to be at least top-three on the biggest stage of all.
“We’re building toward being at our very best on Olympic ice, and that also means aiming for the podium,” Gibson tells Outsports. “This season has really shown that it could be possible for us.”
@teamgb Now you know exactly who to keep an eye out for on the ice 
Say hello to the Team GB Ice Skating team for the Milano Cortina Winter Games. #teamgb #olympics #iceskating #figureskating ♬ original sound – Team GB
It was on the eve of Beijing 2022 that the Scottish skater spoke publicly for the first time about being a gay athlete.
He’d previously shared photos on Instagram with his husband Josh, but explained to Outsports’ Cyd Zeigler on the “Five Rings to Rule Them All” podcast that visibility beyond social media hadn’t been straightforward.
For an elite international athlete participating in a judged sport, there had been thoughts about the potential impact. But they faded away. “I’m really glad, as time has progressed, I’m doing things like this and embracing this side of me more,” he explained on the episode.
Restrictions on travel and access were still in place in China for the last Olympics. In northern Italy in February, the 15,800-capacity Forum di Milano arena will be full.
“This time, my husband will be there, my family, the people who have been part of this journey long before medals or Olympics were even a dream,” says Gibson.
“It will be incredible to share this experience with them and to get to see their loving faces in the audience.”
Lewis Gibson was first ambassador announced for Pride House Milano
Two weeks ago, Gibson was introduced as an ambassador for Pride House Milano, the LGBTQ inclusion and venue project which is being delivered in association with Compete Proud.
It will be 16 years since the inaugural Pride House at the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics, when there were just six out athletes (all women) on “Team LGBTQ.”
For Beijing, there were at least 36, around a third of whom were men, including Gibson. He is the second member of that group of men to be confirmed for the 2026 Milan Winter Olympics, after British curling skip Bruce Mouat.
Gibson hopes the work being done around Pride House Milano in the build-up to the Games, such as the new “Proud Champions” network, inspires other LGBTQ athletes to proudly represent the community as well as their countries.
“To be a part of Pride House for these Games is so exciting,” he adds. “To create and foster a community and space within that Olympic bubble will be truly special, and I can’t wait to take part in the events.
“I hope Milano-Cortina is a Games where even more people feel confident to show up as their true selves.”
His preparations alongside Fear are going very smoothly, both on and off ice. New routines set to medleys by the Spice Girls (rhythm dance) and by Scottish artists (free dance) have been wowing judges and fans alike, while the eight-time British champions were also recently selected to model the uber-cool new Team GB uniforms.
@lilahandlewis I’d walk 500 miles for you (and probably 500 more!!) ♬ original sound – Lilah Fear & Lewis Gibson
Whether it’s Fear’s sequinned Union Jack dress or their eye-catching tartan costumes, the dynamic duo are sure to be fashion stand-outs in the competition — though what matters, of course, is hitting as perfect a stride as possible, adding technical flair to a showcase of components.
And when he glances up to the stands, Gibson is sure to get an extra confidence boost from seeing his loved ones, too.
In a contest where every twizzle and tiny fraction can make a difference, it could yet push the British contenders to reach their podium goal.
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The post Gay athlete Lewis Gibson officially named to 2026 Winter Olympics team appeared first on Outsports.
