Matthew Mitcham, Swimwear Spokesman

Matthew Mitcham

There was a time when people the prospects of a major endorsement deal for Olympic gold medalist Matthew Mitcham looked dim because he is an out gay athlete. 

But the diving champion, who last year secured the financial support of Australian telecommunications provider Telstra, is now the brand ambassadorfor swimwear line Funky Trunks.

“Coming out may not have been very wise of him,” fellow diver Alex Croak, a longtime friend who trains with Mitcham, told The Advocate for Mitcham’s cover story in 2009. “I’m not an expert in marketing and don’t know what companies look for, but perhaps it [hurt him] as it is a risk for companies to take.”

Mitcham added another gold medal to his collection last week at the Canada Cup. He will participate in the World Cup in June. 

He posted some highlights from his photo shoot for Funky Trunks on his Facebook page. Check some of them out on the following page, plus video footage of our shoot with Mitcham from February 2009 in which he talks about coming out before the Olympics.

(The advocate Editors)