Matthew Mitcham

{{Infobox sportsperson

| name = Matthew Mitcham
{{nobold|{{post-nominals|country=AUS|OAM}}}}

| image = Matthew Mitcham.jpg

| imagesize = 200px

| caption =

| fullname = Matthew John Mitcham

| altname =

| nickname = Matt

| country = Australia

| spouse = {{marriage|Luke Rutherford|2020|2024|end=divorced}}

| formercountry =

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|df =y|1988|3|2}}

| birth_place = Brisbane, Queensland, Australia

| hometown =

| training =

| height = {{convert|174|cm|ftin}}

| event = 1 m, 3 m, 5 m, 7 m, 10 m

| level =

| natlteam =

| club = Abbotsleigh Diving Club NSW, Perfect 10 diving

| collegeteam =

| partner =

| former_partner = Scott Robertson (3 m)

| coach = Chava Sobrino

| assistcoach =

| formercoach =

| retired = 2016

| medaltemplates =

{{MedalCountry|{{AUS}}}}

}}

Matthew John Mitcham OAM (born 2 March 1988) is an Australian retired diver and trampolinist. As a diver, he was the 2008 Olympic champion in the 10m platform, and he is the 2nd highest single-dive score in Olympic history (at the time it was the highest scoring dive ever). This made him the first openly gay man to win an Olympic gold medal.{{Cite news |url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-09-28/macklemore-singing-at-gf-like-seeping-sewage-into-debutante-ball/8998442 |title=Macklemore singing at NRL grand final like 'seeping sewage into debutante ball', says Bob Katter |last=Holman |first=Julia|access-date=28 September 2017 |date=28 September 2017 |work=ABC News |publisher=Australian Broadcasting Corporation }}{{cite web|url=https://gaynation.co/retired-australian-gold-medal-diver-matthew-mitcham-is-engaged/ |title=Retired Australian Gold Medal Diver Matthew Mitcham Is Engaged |date=5 June 2019 |website=GayNation |access-date=2020-03-29|last=Richens|first=Tony}}{{Cite news |title=LGBT+ History Month: Matthew Mitcham's troubled path to historic Olympic gold |work=BBC Sport |url=https://www.bbc.com/sport/diving/56078496 |last=Hope|first=Nick|date=22 February 2021|access-date=2023-08-23}} He is also the first Australian male to win an Olympic gold medal in diving since Dick Eve at the 1924 Summer Olympics.{{cite web |url=https://www.qsaltlake.com/news/2008/08/23/openly-gay-australian-diver-matthew-mitcham-wins-gold/ |title=Openly Gay Australian Diver Matthew Mitcham wins Gold |date=August 23, 2008 |website=Salt Lake Magazine |access-date=June 24, 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170929000638/https://www.qsaltlake.com/news/2008/08/23/openly-gay-australian-diver-matthew-mitcham-wins-gold/ |archive-date=September 29, 2017}}

Career

Mitcham originally competed as a trampoline gymnast. He was spotted by Wang Tong Xiang, who is a coach at the Australian Institute of Sport Diving Program, while at the Chandler Aquatic Centre in Brisbane's suburbs, and Mitcham continued with both diving and trampolining for several years.

As a trampolinist, Mitcham represented Australia at the World Junior Championships in 1999 and 2001, winning the double mini-tramp event. He also competed at the Australian Youth Olympic Festival in 2003, finishing sixth.

From 2002 through 2004, Mitcham was a national junior champion in diving, winning the events in which he competed. Mitcham competed at the 2002 World Junior Diving Championships, where he placed 11th in the {{convert|1|m|ftin}} springboard, 5th in the 3 m and 16th in the 10 m platform. In 2004, he won the silver medals in the 1 m, 3 m synchronised, and 10 m platform events at the World Junior Championships. At the 2004 Junior Nationals, he won the 1 m, 3 m, and 10 m and 3 m synchro titles. At the 2004 Olympic Trials, he placed 3rd on the 3 m and 10 m individual events, 2nd on the 3 m and 10 m synchro events, and did not qualify for the Olympic team. In 2005, Mitcham won his first senior national title. He competed at the Australian Olympic Youth Festival, where he won the silver medal in the 1 m with a score of 508.35, and won the 3 m, 10 m and 3 m synchro (with Scott Robertson) titles with scores of 565, 555.8, and 316.23 respectively. At the 2005 World Aquatics Championships in Montreal, he placed 12th on the 10 m platform with a score of 560.73.

In 2006, Mitcham competed in the German Grand Prix event, placing 16th on the 3 m and 6th on the 10 m, and at the US Grand Prix at Fort Lauderdale, placing 8th on the 3m springboard. At the Canada Cup he placed 26th on the 3 m and won the bronze medal on the 10 m platform. He represented Australia at the 2006 Commonwealth Games, where he competed in the 1 m, 3 m, and 10 m events. He placed 4th in the 3 m and the 3 m synchro with Robertson, and 5th on the 1 m and 10 m events.

Taking a break from the sport in 2006, he returned in 2007 and started to train under current coach Chava Sobrino at the New South Wales Institute of Sport. In 2008 Mitcham won the 1 m, 3 m and 10 m individual events at the Australian Nationals. Later that year he won the 2008 Diving Grand Prix event in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.{{citation |url=http://www.smh.com.au/news/beijing2008/mitcham-on-a-roll-after-career-backflip/2008/05/12/1210444339636.html |title=Mitcham on a roll after career backflip |date=13 May 2008 |access-date=18 August 2008 |periodical=The Sydney Morning Herald|first=Jessica |last=Halloran }}

=2008 Summer Olympics=

File:Matthew Mitcham by Lance Richardson.jpg

Mitcham represented Australia at the 2008 Summer Olympics in the 10 m platform and the 3 m springboard events. He placed 16th on the 3 m springboard and did not qualify for the final. He qualified in second position for the semi-final and final of the 10 m platform event. After experiencing mixed success in his first five dives in the final, Mitcham entered the final round of dives in second place, 34 points behind Chinese diver Zhou Lüxin. After Zhou performed his worst dive of the final and scored 74.80, Mitcham still needed to score 107.30, a very high score on the platform, to win the gold.{{cite web |url=http://results.beijing2008.cn/WRM/ENG/INF/DV/C70A/DVM002101.shtml#DVM002101 |title=Intermediate Results: Men's 10m platform final |date=August 23, 2008 |website=Beijing 2008 |access-date=June 24, 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080901034618/http://results.beijing2008.cn/WRM/ENG/INF/DV/C70A/DVM002101.shtml |archive-date=1 September 2008}} However, his near-perfect final dive drew four perfect 10 scores from judges and achieved a score of 112.10, the highest single-dive score in Olympic history at the time.{{cite web |last=Williams |first=Rebecca |url=http://www.foxsports.com.au/beijing_olympics/story/0,27313,24231335-5017607,00.html |archive-url=https://archive.today/20121230201823/http://www.foxsports.com.au/beijing_olympics/story/0,27313,24231335-5017607,00.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=2012-12-30 |title=Breathtaking Mitcham wins gold |work=Fox Sports |date=2008-08-23 |access-date=2012-11-28 }} He finished with an overall score of 537.95 to defeat Zhou, who finished with an overall score of 533.15, to win Australia's second diving medal of the Games. His win prevented China from claiming a clean-sweep of all diving gold medals at the Olympic Games.{{cite web|url=http://www.news.com.au/perthnow/beijing_olympics/story/0,27313,24233268-5014106,00.html |title=Australian diver Matthew Mitcham captures Chinese hearts | Perth Now |publisher=News.com.au |date=2008-08-23 |access-date=2012-11-28}} He is the first Australian male to win an Olympic gold medal in diving since Dick Eve in 1924.

{{cquote|It's absolutely surreal. I never thought that this would be possible, I wasn't even sure of my medal chances at all. After I did my last dive and I saw I was in first, I thought, "That's it, it's a silver medal, I am so happy with this" and then I won. I can't believe it, I'm so happy.|30px|30px|Matthew Mitcham{{cite web |url=https://qsaltlake.com/news/2008/08/23/openly-gay-australian-diver-matthew-mitcham-wins-gold/ |title=Openly Gay Australian Diver Matthew Mitcham Wins Gold |date=August 23, 2008 |website=QSalt Lake Magazine |access-date=June 24, 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170929000638/https://qsaltlake.com/news/2008/08/23/openly-gay-australian-diver-matthew-mitcham-wins-gold/ |archive-date=September 29, 2017}}}}

Mitcham's medal was followed by the Australia Post issuing a 50-cent stamp of him.

=2009 and beyond=

Following his victory at the 2008 Summer Olympics, Mitcham placed fourth in his next major contest on the 10-metre platform, the 2009 World Aquatics Championships in Rome. He was beaten narrowly by Zhou Lüxin, the Chinese diver he'd beaten in the Olympics final, while British youngster Tom Daley took home the championship.

At the 2010 Commonwealth Games, Mitcham won four silver medals, partnering fellow Australian diver Ethan Warren to come runner-up in the synchronized events in both the 3 and 10-metre. In the 1 metre springboard final he lost to Canadian Alexandre Despatie. In his specialist event, the 10-metre platform, he again lost to Tom Daley.

As outlined in his 2012 autobiography, Mitcham commenced use of recreational methamphetamine in 2011, becoming addicted to the substance and subsequently recovering with the assistance of Narcotics Anonymous. Mitcham is quoted as saying "I had still failed to achieve my childhood dream of becoming the best in the world at something," and so had turned to drug use. Australian Olympic Committee officials, in November 2012, stated that they had been unaware of the drug use (which occurred prior to the London 2012 Summer Olympics), but welcomed Mitcham's recovery.{{cite web|last=Passa |first=Dennis |url=http://www.news.com.au/sport/more-sport/diver-matthew-mitcham-opens-up-about-drug-addiction/story-fndukor0-1226518583583 |title=Diver Matthew Mitcham opens up about drug addiction |publisher=News.com.au |date=2012-11-17 |access-date=2012-11-28}}

In December 2011, Mitcham returned from an abdominals injury to win the Australian 10-metre platform with 480.05 points putting his Olympic dreams back on track. Not only did Mitcham achieve this accolade, he was also named Male Diver of the Year 2012.

Mitcham placed 13th in the semifinals of the 10m event at the 2012 Summer Olympics, narrowly missing the mark to qualify for the finals.

In November 2012, he published an autobiography entitled Twists and Turns.{{cite book|author=Matthew Mitcham |title=Twists and Turns |date=23 July 2013 |publisher=HarperCollins |isbn=9780732294892 |id = {{ASIN|0732294894|country=uk}}}}

In 2013, Mitcham performed as an MC during the Melbourne Cabaret Festival, and they subsequently assisted him to turn his autobiography into a cabaret show. After a successful crowdfunding campaign in December 2013,{{cite web |url=http://www.pozible.com/project/175988 |title=Matthew Mitcham's Twists & Turns |website=Pozible |access-date=June 24, 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131202173506/http://www.pozible.com/project/175988 |archive-date=December 2, 2013}}{{better source needed|date=January 2024}} the show premiered at the 2014 Fringe World festival in Perth. The show has toured Australia and notably featured in the 2015 Sydney Mardi Gras festival.{{Cite web |url=https://www.theguardian.com/stage/2015/feb/20/matthew-mitcham-interview-twists-and-turns |title=New faces: meet Matthew Mitcham |last=Spring |first=Alexandra |date=February 19, 2015 |website=The Guardian |access-date=Jun 24, 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150603140907/https://www.theguardian.com/stage/2015/feb/20/matthew-mitcham-interview-twists-and-turns |archive-date=June 3, 2015}}{{cite web |url=https://www.starobserver.com.au/artsentertainment/scene-events/mardi-gras/matthew-mitchams-life-in-cabaret-resonates-with-gay-audiences/131903 |title=Matthew Mitcham's life in cabaret resonates with gay audiences |last=Riley |first=Benjamin |date=January 29, 2015 |website=Star Observer |access-date=June 24, 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201123161549/https://www.starobserver.com.au/artsentertainment/scene-events/mardi-gras/matthew-mitchams-life-in-cabaret-resonates-with-gay-audiences/131903 |archive-date=November 23, 2020}}

In 2013, Mitcham became a judge on the Australian diving show Celebrity Splash!, alongside Greg Louganis and Alisa Camplin. The show's ratings were low by the end of the season, and it was cut short.{{cite web|url=http://www.news.com.au/entertainment/tv/celebrity-splash-dumped-from-730pm-prime-time-slot-after-tanking-in-ratings/story-e6frfmyi-1226637637653 |title=Celebrity Splash dumped from 7.30pm prime-time slot after tanking in ratings |publisher=News.com.au |date=2013-05-08 |access-date=2020-03-29}}

Mitcham announced his retirement from diving at the beginning of 2016 to focus on his showbiz career.{{cite web|url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-01-28/matthew-mitcham-retires-diving-gold-medallist-rio-olympics/7119686|title=Gold medallist Mitcham retires from diving|website=Australian Broadcasting Corporation|date=2016-01-27|language=en-AU|access-date=2016-08-24}}

= ''Dancing with the Stars'' =

Mitcham was a celebrity contestant on the fifteenth season of Dancing with the Stars, which premiered on 19 July 2015.{{cite web|url=http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/entertainment/sydney-confidential/matthew-mitcham-revealed-as-the-first-celebrity-to-be-on-dancing-with-the-stars/story-fni0cvc9-1227392749161|title=Matthew Mitcham revealed as the first celebrity to be on Dancing with the Stars|work=The Daily Telegraph|date=11 June 2015|access-date=11 June 2015|first=Jonathon|last=Moran}} He and his professional dance partner Masha Belash finished in second place.

class="wikitable unsortable" style="text-align:center;" \|+Matthew Mitcham - Dancing with the Stars (season 15) ! scope="col" \| Week ! scope="col" \| Dance ! scope="col" \| Music ! scope="col" colspan="3" \| Judges' scores{{efn\|Individual judges' scores are listed in the following order: Todd McKenney, Helen Richey, Kym Johnson.}} ! scope="col" \| Total score ! scope="col" \| Result
scope="row" \| 1 \| Cha-cha-cha \| "Can You Feel It" — The Jacksons \| 9 \| 8 \| 8 \| 33{{Efn\|Matthew also received a score of 8 from guest judge Bruno Tonioli.}} \| Safe
scope="row" \| 2 \| Salsa \| "Spice Up Your Life" — Spice Girls \| 8 \| 8 \| 8 \| 32{{Efn\|Matthew also received a score of 8 from guest judge Bruno Tonioli.}} \| Safe
scope="row" \| 3 \| Foxtrot \| "The Girl from Ipanema" — Nat King Cole \| 9 \| 10 \| 9 \| 37{{Efn\|Matthew also received a score of 9 from guest judge Bruno Tonioli.}} \| Safe
scope="row" \| 4 \| Viennese waltz \| "Can't Help Falling in Love" — Elvis Presley \| 9 \| 7 \| 9 \| 25 \| Safe
rowspan="2" scope="row" \| 5 \| Jive \| "Don't Stop Me Now" — Queen \| 8 \| 7 \| 9 \| 24 \| rowspan="2" \| Safe
Foxtrot (Dance-off) \| "Ain't That a Kick in the Head?" — Dean Martin \| colspan="3" \|Winner \| 3{{Efn\|Matthew received three bonus points for winning this dance-off.}}
rowspan="2" scope="row" \| 6 \| Paso doble \| "Sweet Disposition" — The Temper Trap \| 9 \| 7 \| 9 \| 25 \| rowspan="2" bgcolor="lightblue" \| Bottom two
Team dance \| "Trouble" — Iggy Azalea, featuring Jennifer Hudson \| 9 \| 9 \| 9 \| 27
rowspan="2" scope="row" \| 7 \| Cha-cha-cha & Tango (Fusion dance) \| "Ghost Town" — Adam Lambert \| 8 \| 8 \| 9 \| 25 \| rowspan="2" \| Safe
Waltz \| "Mr. Bojangles" — Nitty Gritty Dirt Band \| 8 \| 9 \| 10 \| 27
rowspan="2" scope="row" \| 8 {{small\|(Night 1)}} \| Samba \| "Hip Hip Chin Chin" — Club des Belugas \| 10 \| 9 \| 10 \| 29 \| rowspan="2" \| Safe
Contemporary \| "I'm Not the Only One" — Sam Smith \| 10 \| 10 \| 10 \| 30
rowspan="2" \|8 {{small\|(Night 2)}} \| Cha-cha-cha \| "Can You Feel It" — The Jacksons \| 9 \| 10 \| 10 \| 29 \| rowspan="2" bgcolor="silver" \| Runner-up
Freestyle \| "Valerie" — Mark Ronson, featuring Amy Winehouse \| 9 \| 10 \| 9 \| 28

class="wikitable unsortable" style="text-align:center;"

|+Matthew Mitcham - Dancing with the Stars (season 15)

! scope="col" | Week

! scope="col" | Dance

! scope="col" | Music

! scope="col" colspan="3" | Judges' scores{{efn|Individual judges' scores are listed in the following order: Todd McKenney, Helen Richey, Kym Johnson.}}

! scope="col" | Total score

! scope="col" | Result

scope="row" | 1

| Cha-cha-cha

| "Can You Feel It" — The Jacksons

| 9

| 8

| 33{{Efn|Matthew also received a score of 8 from guest judge Bruno Tonioli.}}

| Safe

scope="row" | 2

| Salsa

| "Spice Up Your Life" — Spice Girls

| 8

| 32{{Efn|Matthew also received a score of 8 from guest judge Bruno Tonioli.}}

| Safe

scope="row" | 3

| Foxtrot

| "The Girl from Ipanema" — Nat King Cole

| 9

| 10

| 9

| 37{{Efn|Matthew also received a score of 9 from guest judge Bruno Tonioli.}}

| Safe

scope="row" | 4

| Viennese waltz

| "Can't Help Falling in Love" — Elvis Presley

| 9

| 7

| 9

| 25

| Safe

rowspan="2" scope="row" | 5

| Jive

| "Don't Stop Me Now" — Queen

| 8

| 7

| 9

| 24

| rowspan="2" | Safe

Foxtrot
(Dance-off)

| "Ain't That a Kick in the Head?" — Dean Martin

| colspan="3" |Winner

| 3{{Efn|Matthew received three bonus points for winning this dance-off.}}

rowspan="2" scope="row" | 6

| Paso doble

| "Sweet Disposition" — The Temper Trap

| 9

| 7

| 9

| 25

| rowspan="2" bgcolor="lightblue" | Bottom two

Team dance

| "Trouble" — Iggy Azalea, featuring Jennifer Hudson

| 9

| 27

rowspan="2" scope="row" | 7

| Cha-cha-cha & Tango
(Fusion dance)

| "Ghost Town" — Adam Lambert

| 8

| 9

| 25

| rowspan="2" | Safe

Waltz

| "Mr. Bojangles" — Nitty Gritty Dirt Band

| 8

| 9

| 10

| 27

rowspan="2" scope="row" | 8
{{small|(Night 1)}}

| Samba

| "Hip Hip Chin Chin" — Club des Belugas

| 10

| 9

| 10

| 29

| rowspan="2" | Safe

Contemporary

| "I'm Not the Only One" — Sam Smith

| 10

| 30

rowspan="2" |8
{{small|(Night 2)}}

| Cha-cha-cha

| "Can You Feel It" — The Jacksons

| 9

| 10

| 29

| rowspan="2" bgcolor="silver" | Runner-up

Freestyle

| "Valerie" — Mark Ronson, featuring Amy Winehouse

| 9

| 10

| 9

| 28

Sponsorships

Despite his diving achievements, Mitcham struggled to attract corporate sponsorship. In The Advocate, an editor said, "What's a guy to do when he's got the gold, the fame, the man - but no big-time endorsements?"{{full citation needed|date=November 2012}} In 2009, Mitcham secured financial support from the Australian telecommunications provider Telstra.{{cite web |website=The Daily Telegraph (Sydney) |date=8 February 2009 |url=https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/mitcham-secures-sponsorship/news-story/d4ead67d486e4d7f653179646e91a705 |title=Mitcham secures sponsorship |access-date=June 24, 2025}}

In March 2010, Mitcham was announced as the new face of Funky Trunks and has appeared on advertising campaigns across Australia, Europe and the United States.{{Cite web |url=http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/sport/corporate-world-embracing-olympic-gold-medal-winner-matthew-mitcham/story-e6frg7mf-1225847178548 |title=The Australian: Corporate world embracing Olympic gold medal winner Matthew Mitcham}}{{Cite web|url=http://www.advocate.com/news/2010/06/08/matthew-mitcham-world-not-enough|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20100614210345/http://www.advocate.com/Sports/Matthew_Mitcham_The_World_Is_Not_Enough/|url-status=dead|title=Matthew Mitcham The World Is Not Enough|date=8 June 2010|archivedate=14 June 2010|website=www.advocate.com}}{{cite web|url=http://www.divingnsw.org.au/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=247:matthew-mitcham-dives-into-funky-trunks&catid=1&Itemid=19 |title=Diving NSW |publisher=Diving NSW |date=2010-05-05 |access-date=2012-11-28}} He is also a spokesman and "swimwear ambassador" for the brand.{{cite web |url=http://www.advocate.com/News/Daily_News/2010/05/06/Matthew_Mitcham_Swimwear_Ammassador/ |title=Matthew Mitcham Swimwear Ambassador |publisher=Advocate.com |date=2010-05-06 |access-date=2012-11-28 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100711104005/http://www.advocate.com/News/Daily_News/2010/05/06/Matthew_Mitcham_Swimwear_Ammassador/ |archive-date=11 July 2010 }}

Other appearances

In 2009, Matthew Mitcham was the Chief of Parade of the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras{{Cite web |url=http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/story/0,21985,25154215-5005961,00.html |title=Mardi Gras gaiety lightens economic gloom |last1=Bennett |first1=Adam |last2=Morello |first2=Vincent |date=March 7, 2009 |website=Herald Sun |access-date=June 24, 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090310181502/http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/story/0,21985,25154215-5005961,00.html |archive-date=March 10, 2009}} after being declared the 2008 Australian Sports Performer of the Year. In February and March 2010, Mitcham appeared in the second season of Rexona Greatest Athlete Australia reality television series in which 8 of Australia's most popular sports athletes compete in 8 episodes in various challenges to win the "best athlete" award. He also announced taking part in the Cologne 2010 Gay Games in Germany. He was seen promoting the Games.{{Cite web |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tjdiMwxjijY |title=Matthew Mitcham Cologne Gay Games |date=7 May 2009 |via=YouTube |access-date=June 24, 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110803195339/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tjdiMwxjijY |archive-date=August 3, 2011}} The event featured 35 sports, as well as community and cultural events. He competed in an episode of Australian game show Talkin' 'Bout Your Generation, representing 'Gen Y' with comedian Josh Thomas. He appeared in an episode of Celebrity Come Dine With Me Australia with entertainer Maria Venuti, presenter Sophie Falkiner and X Factor Presenter Luke Jacobz who battled it out to win $2000 for their charity. In March 2015, he starred in 'Are You Ready For Freddie', a tribute video to Freddie Mercury organised by the Sydney Mardi Gras.{{Cite web|url=https://www.starobserver.com.au/artsentertainment/scene-events/mardi-gras/mardi-gras-music-video-pays-tribute-to-freddie-mercury/133711|title=Mardi Gras music video pays tribute to Freddie Mercury|website=starobserver.au|date=6 March 2015}} The video went viral, reaching more than 1.3 million views.{{Cite web|url=http://ww38.samesame.com.au/news/12010/Mardi-Gras-tribute-to-Freddie-is-a-viral-hit|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20150308174858/http://www.samesame.com.au/news/12010/Mardi-Gras-tribute-to-Freddie-is-a-viral-hit|title=samesame.com.au|archivedate=8 March 2015|website=ww38.samesame.com.au}}

Recognition

2020 - Sport Australia Hall of Fame inductee {{Cite news|last=Colangelo|first=Anthony|date=4 December 2020|title=Women's T20 side, Eales claim top honours at Sport Australia awards|work=Sydney Morning Herald|url=https://www.smh.com.au/sport/women-s-t20-side-eales-claim-top-honours-at-sport-australia-awards-20201204-p56km7.html|access-date=5 December 2020}}

Personal life

Mitcham publicly came out as gay in 2008 to the Sydney Morning Herald when they were profiling Olympic hopefuls.{{cite news |last=Dennett|first= Harley |title= A Backward Three–Somersault Tuck (With a Twist) |url= http://www.advocate.com/news/2008/07/30/backward-three%E2%80%93somersault-tuck-twist |publisher= The Advocate |access-date=24 August 2008 }}{{Cite web |date=2021-02-27 |title=Matthew Mitcham opens up about his coming out journey and experience with depression |url=https://www.gaytimes.co.uk/culture/matthew-mitcham-opens-up-about-his-coming-out-journey-and-experience-with-depression/ |access-date=2023-08-23 |website=GAY TIMES |language=en-GB}} During the 2008 Beijing Olympics, he was also featured on the cover of the international gay publication The Advocate{{cite web|url=https://www.advocate.com/news/2009/02/02/matt%E2%80%99s-next-act|website=The Advocate|title=Matt's Next Act |date=February 2, 2009}} in August 2008 and March 2009, as well as the cover of Australian gay publication DNA. Mitcham's then-boyfriend, Lachlan Fletcher, attended the 2008 Summer Olympics as a spectator. His trip was sponsored by a grant from Johnson & Johnson's Athlete Family Support Program.

Mitcham gained media coverage in Australia as reporters thought he was the first Australian to compete at the Olympic Games as an openly gay man at the time of his competition. However, Craig Rogerson, the Australian diver, had publicly announced he was gay before the 1996 Summer Olympics,{{Citation| title =Out Diver Aims for Atlanta Gold| magazine =Capital Q Weekly| issue =171}} as had Mathew Helm, the Australian diver who won the silver medal at the 2004 Summer Olympics in the men's 10m platform.{{citation |url= http://www.smh.com.au/news/beijing2008/out-proud-and-ready-to-go-for-gold/2008/05/23/1211183107597.html |title=Out, proud and ready to go for gold |date=24 May 2008 |access-date=18 August 2008 |periodical=The Sydney Morning Herald|first=Jessica |last=Halloran}}{{Citation| title =Perfect 10 - Matt Helm| magazine =DNA| issue =83| url =http://www.dnamagazine.com.au/articles/news.asp?news_id=1165| archive-url =https://web.archive.org/web/20081211152515/http://www.dnamagazine.com.au/articles/news.asp?news_id=1165| url-status =dead| archive-date =11 December 2008| access-date =4 October 2008}} Other notable gay Australian Olympians include Ji Wallace, who competed at the 2000 Summer Olympics and won a silver medal in the inaugural trampoline event; however, he came out after the Games, as well as Daniel Kowalski{{cite web|url=http://www.smh.com.au/sport/swimming/out-and-proud-olympian-kowalski-breaks-silence-20100417-slo3.html |title=Out and proud: Olympian Kowalski breaks silence |work=The Sydney Morning Herald|date=2010-04-18 |access-date=2020-03-29}} and Ian Thorpe.{{citation |url= http://www.smh.com.au/news/sport/ji-talking-on-highs-lows-and-a-super-new-move/2007/06/09/1181089387102.html |title=Ji talking: on highs, lows and a super new move |date=10 June 2007 |access-date=18 August 2008 |first=Daniel |last=Lane |periodical=The Sydney Morning Herald}}

Prior to his 10m platform win, Outsports.com reported Mitcham to be one of only ten openly gay athletes competing in the 2008 Beijing Olympics.{{citation|url=http://www.outsports.com/os/index2.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=111&pop=1&page |title=In Beijing Olympics, only 10 openly gay athletes |date=23 August 2008 |access-date=2 July 2009 |periodical=Outsports.com |first=Jim |last=Buzinski |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110606040307/http://www.outsports.com/os/index2.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=111&pop=1&page |archive-date=6 June 2011 }}

Mitcham has said when asked to comment on his coming out: "I don’t see sexuality as influencing my beliefs or opinions or perceptions of anybody, whether they’re gay, straight, bi, trans, experimental, I don’t care. I see it as a very uninfluential factor in people." Mitcham has said that after the Beijing Olympics, he received many letters from gay teenagers, "and that was really nice, really humbling".{{cite web|url=http://www.stevedow.com.au/Default.aspx?id=433|title=To Dive For|website=stevedow.com|last=Dow|first=Steve|date=September 7, 2009}}

In 2009 and 2010, Mitcham was selected by readers of samesame.com.au as one of the 25 most influential gay Australians.{{cite web|title=Samesame 25 |url=http://www.samesame.com.au/25/2010/ |publisher=samesame |access-date=31 March 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110402172118/http://www.samesame.com.au/25/2010/ |archive-date=2 April 2011 }}

On 3 June 2019, he announced his engagement to his British boyfriend Luke Rutherford.{{Cite web|url=https://www.pinknews.co.uk/2019/06/04/olympic-diving-champion-matthew-mitcham-engaged/|title = Olympic diving champion Matthew Mitcham is engaged|date = 4 June 2019|website=PinkNews|last=Duffy|first=Nick}}{{Cite web|url=http://www.towleroad.com/2019/06/matthew-mitcham-engaged/|title=Australian Olympian Matthew Mitcham Engaged to Boyfriend After 7-Month Whirlwind Romance |website=Towleroad |date=4 June 2019}} The couple married in February 2020. In 2024 Mitcham announced that they would be divorcing after four years of marriage.{{Cite web|url=https://au.sports.yahoo.com/olympics-australia-matthew-mitcham-struggles-sexuality-beijing-gold-medal-diving-090232138.html|title=Heartbreaking truth behind Aussie Olympic champion's stunning rise |date=25 February 2021|website=Yahoo Sports|last=Young |first=Chris}}https://www.edgemedianetwork.com/story/338369https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/subscribe/news/1/?sourceCode=DTWEB_WRE170_a_GGL&dest=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.dailytelegraph.com.au%2Fentertainment%2Fsydney-confidential%2Folympic-diver-matthew-mitcham-and-husband-luke-rutherford-split-after-five-years-of-marriage%2Fnews-story%2F9e9cc7cd86143dc503cfc6e576c4f530&memtype=anonymous&mode=premium&v21=GROUPA-Segment-2-NOSCORE

As of October 2021, Mitcham lives in London, England, and is friends with Tom Daley.{{Cite web|date=2021-10-07|title=Tom Daley on love, grief and health: 'It was hammered into me that I needed to lose weight'|url=https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2021/oct/07/tom-daley-on-love-grief-and-health-it-was-hammered-into-me-that-i-needed-to-lose-weight|access-date=2021-10-07|website=the Guardian|language=en}}{{Cite web |title=Olympic Diver Tom Daley Reveals He's in a Relationship With A Man |url=https://www.breathecast.com/news/tom-daley-diver-star-homsexual-olympics.html |access-date=2023-08-23 |website=www.breathecast.com |language=en-US}}

{{As of|2024}}, Mitcham was creating content, including semi-frontal nude photographs, for OnlyFans. He told the Associated Press that he earned three times more income from his work on OnlyFans than from athletic sponsorships. He described himself as a "sex worker-lite."{{cite news |title=Olympians are turning to OnlyFans to fund dreams as they face a 'broken' finance system |url=https://www.cbc.ca/sports/olympics/summer/athletics/onlyfans-alysha-newman-canada-olympics-1.7290724 |access-date=13 August 2024 |agency=Associated Press |publisher=CBC}}

References

External links

{{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080823061144/http://www.olympics.com.au/Athletes/TheTeam/tabid/343/Athletes/TheTeam/tabid/344/Default.aspx?cId=26829&teamId=4 |date=dmy |title=Australian Olympic Team profile}}
{{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080812084955/http://results.beijing2008.cn/WRM/ENG/BIO/Athlete/3/230973.shtml |date=dmy |title=2008 Olympics profile}}
{{World Aquatics|1018851}}
{{AOC profile}}
{{Olympics.com profile|matthew-mitcham}}
{{Olympedia}}
{{Commonwealth Games Australia|matthew-mitcham}}
{{2006 Commonwealth Games profile}}
{{2010 Commonwealth Games profile|549940}}
{{2014 Commonwealth Games profile}}