A second LGBT Olympian has taken the podium at Sochi.
Openly gay Austrian ski jumper Daniela Iraschko-Stolz took silver in her event on Feb 11. She flew farther on the final round than her competitor but was awarded a silver medal on points once wind speeds had been factored into the scores.
Iraschko-Stolz is openly gay and married. She made news at the opening of the Games when she said that the problems for gay athletes in Sochi had been “blown up bigger than it is.”
After winning her silver medal, however, she clarified that she still hopes her presence will bring attention to gay rights in Russia.
“I hope for the future that the people now can see the sport as a chance to change something. That would be nice. Because everyone looks at Russia and its laws, and I think it’s a good idea to change something,” she said, according to the New Civil Rights Movement.
Openly bisexual speed skater Ireen Wüst was the first LGBT athlete of the Games to reach the podium, when she won gold in the 3,000-metre event on Feb 9.
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