With 100 days to go, Gay Games Valencia has 8,000 sign-ups — including a Drag Race queen
Excitement is building ahead of Gay Games XII, which will begin in 100 days’ time, on June 27. Canada’s Drag Race star Gia Metric is among the athletes registered to compete in Valencia, Spain. The post With 100 days to go, Gay Games Valencia has 8,000 sign-ups — including a Drag Race queen appeared first on Outsports.
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On a Saturday night in Pride Month, at the home of La Liga soccer club Levante, thousands of people will attend the Opening Ceremony of Gay Games Valencia.
There are 100 days to go until this grand occasion, and already, there have been 8,000 registrations for the Games, with strong representation from the U.S., U.K., Germany, Australia and Canada in terms of athlete sign-ups.
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Hosting the Opening Ceremony at the Estadi Ciutat de València will be Choriza May, who grew up in Guadassuar, a small town just south of the city, before finding fame on “RuPaul’s Drag Race.”
She has described the LGBTQ multisports festival as “a wonderful opportunity to showcase what we have” — and organizers intend to make the event a truly Valencian celebration of culture and competition.
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@chorizamay Hui aprenc a jugar a La Pilota Valenciana. Tradició, Orgullo i Cultura als Gay Games Valencia 2026. ♬ Mario like action game 2 – Jun Takahashi
Among those traveling to take part in the Gay Games is another member of the Drag Race multiverse.
Away from the runway, Gia Metric is Giorgio Triberio, who took up artistic swimming in 2024 and went on to win a silver medal at last year’s World Aquatic Masters Championships in Singapore.
The Canadian spoke to Outsports afterwards and mentioned how he was considering an entry for Valencia 2026. Last month, he confirmed he will indeed be heading to Spain this summer, launching a crowdfunder to help with costs.
Triberio says it didn’t take a lot of convincing for him to commit to the Games. “Gays in Speedos really sold it for me!” he jokes.
“But in all honesty, after Singapore, I really saw potential in continuing my training. I turned to my coach and said, ‘I guess I have to keep swimming… so what’s next?’
“I found out about the Gay Games from a local gay water polo team who had been following my swimming achievements online, and didn’t think twice.”
Culture and music key to Valencia’s unique Gay Games
There will be much more than just the pool to keep the athletes entertained.
Jon Landa Diestro is part of the organizing team in Valencia, and wants prospective visitors to take a closer look at what the Village will provide, and the cultural program.
“In the afternoons, there’ll be Pride-themed talks and presentations, and then every evening, we’ll have special shows and DJs, turning the Village into a night club,” he tells Outsports.
“But more widely, music will fill the city through the festivals of bands and choirs. A film festival will showcase movies and documentaries about diversity in sport.
“Fashion and art exhibitions will highlight local queer artists, alongside many other cultural events happening throughout the week.”
One of the high points will be the Gay Games Bands Festival, which holds its main event on July 2 at the Palau de la Musica.
Visiting community bands as well as local bands will perform, and there is free admission too.
There will also be cheerleading events, art exhibitions and the International Rainbow Memorial Run, a communal Saturday morning activity honoring Gay Games participants who are no longer with us.
Gia Metric is already gagged for her first Gay Games
Swimming will be one of the first competitions to get underway, and it’s also one of the sports that’s already sold out, along with tennis and powerlifting. There are several others — badminton, football (soccer), wrestling and volleyball — that are heading at pace towards capacity.
But there are opportunities for athletes to get involved elsewhere, with the distance-running events, dodgeball, diving and rugby (XV and touch), among the sports that are still on offer.
Artistic swimming, which is being run by IGLA+, also has spots available, so anyone keen to go up against Gia Metric can enter!
Giorgio says he would certainly welcome that. “I’m very excited to be in an environment where everyone is celebrated and to experience queer joy in sports,” he adds.
“So many of us have felt we didn’t fit into athletics for being too queer, too feminine, too “different”… and The Gay Games are proof that we never needed to change; sport needed to change.”
He’ll be focusing on the experience as well as his execution.
“My approach is blending athletic discipline with drag artistry, and I feel like I’m challenging the conventional ideas of who belongs in competitive sport.
“But this isn’t just about competition, it’s about visibility, pride, and showing that queer people belong everywhere, including global sport.”
Artistic gymnastics is an example of a sport that gives athletes a chance to really express themselves, while for those looking for more of a duel, there’s martial arts, fencing, table tennis or chess.
And don’t forget eSports, making its debut at the Gay Games this year.
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There’s a great mix of arenas as well. “Valencia was chosen as this year’s host city because it offers the perfect balance of sports infrastructure, cultural venues, and an open, welcoming spirit,” says Landa Diestro.
“The facilities are spread throughout the entire city, so we’ll reach many neighbourhoods, allowing residents and visitors alike to feel part of the event and bringing the celebration closer to the local community.”
Above all else, there is a determination to make this the most inclusive Gay Games ever.
There are open and women-only competitions, and participants can choose the category that best matches their gender identity. All FLINTA* registrations (women, lesbian, intersex, nonbinary, transgender and agender) benefit from a 10 per cent discount.
It’s been 44 years since the inaugural Gay Games in San Francisco, where around 1,350 athletes from 10 different nations gathered to compete. While Valencia is yet to hit its target of sign-ups, it’s on track to do so, and there are already at least 65 countries represented.
In a turbulent world, the bigger mission matters more than ever to Landa Diestro. “Being in Valencia this summer will be a way of saying out loud: we are queer, we are here — and also in sports.
“Every participant can feel that the medal hanging from their neck is truly deserved.”
Gia Metric has her own message for those who are hovering over the registration button.
“Swallow your fear, mute the self-doubt and do it for the experience. There is no better time than right now.”
Find out more at GayGamesValencia2026.com. You can support Gia Metric’s journey to Spain via GoFundMe.
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The post With 100 days to go, Gay Games Valencia has 8,000 sign-ups — including a Drag Race queen appeared first on Outsports.
