Michael Gunning

Michael Gunning carved out his own lane in the pool and refused to look back. Starting out racing for Great Britain, he made the big switch to represent Jamaica on the world stage, breaking national records in the butterfly while becoming one of the very few openly gay Black international swimmers. He survived the horrific 2017 Manchester Arena attack, an experience that pushed him to live completely out loud and proud.

Off the starting blocks, he swapped swim caps for TV cameras. He came out to the world on British reality show The Bi Life, turned heads as a poolside pundit, and stepped up as a major champion for diversity in aquatic sports. When he hung up his competitive goggles, the media work kicked into top gear, cementing him as a fan favourite on screen.