Figure skater Adam Rippon, 28, has become the first openly gay U.S. athlete to qualify for the Winter Olympicsbut it didn't happen without some controversy.
Rippon was officially named to the U.S. Winter Olympics figure skating team despite finishing fourth at the U.S. national championships in San Jose, California, on Jan. 6. ( The U.S. Winter Olympic team can only have three representatives in PyeongChang, South Korea, in February. Ross Miner, who finished second Jan. 6, got bumped because Rippon was judged to have better international results. )
Rippon will join national champion Nathan Chen, 18, and third-place skater Vincent Zhou, 17, in South Korea.
Freestyle skiier Gus Kenworthywho came out in 2015is expected to join Rippon when the freestyle skiing team is announced Jan. 22, ThinkProgress.org noted. A third openly gay athlete, luger John Fennell, had his hopes dashed when his sled crashed in his final qualifying run last month.