Gay Italian diver Matteo Santoro has made headlines not just for his sporting achievements but also for a heartfelt personal milestone. The 19-year-old grabbed gold at the World Aquatics Championships in Singapore, and shortly before, went public for the first time with his relationship with Spanish diver Max Liñán, 18.

The couple, who have been together for a year, marked their anniversary on July 18 with similar posts on Instagram. Both shared a series of intimate and joyful photographs celebrating their relationship. Liñán’s post was simple and affectionate, reading “1 añito” (one year) followed by a red heart emoji, and five photos chronicling their year together.

The announcement was significant not just personally but publicly, as it was the first time either athlete had spoken openly about their sexuality. Liñán later confirmed to Outsports that both he and Santoro are gay, a powerful step for visibility in elite sport.

The diving world witnessed Santoro’s golden performance as he and partner Chiara Pellacani topped the podium in the mixed 3-metre synchronised event. They competed for the first-place title, followed by Australia’s Cassiel Rousseau and Maddison Keeney, who took silver, with Cheng Zilong and Li Yajie of China finishing in bronze.

Liñán, who competed for Spain at the same championships, placed 23rd out of 59 in the men’s 1m springboard and 14th in the 3m synchro alongside teammate Juan Cortes. 

Despite not medalling himself, he celebrated Santoro’s win with pride, posting a photo of the winners to his Instagram story, along with three gold medal emojis and three teary-eyed smiley faces.

Santoro expressed his joy after the victory, telling reporters: “I’m so happy. With Chiara, I can remain calm. I did breathing exercises, distracting myself. Tomorrow I have the 3-metre individual. I’m celebrating, but I’ll have to reset immediately.”

Looking ahead, the young Italian is preparing for a new chapter both personally and professionally. In August, Santoro will move to the United States to join the University of Miami’s Hurricanes swim and dive team, where Pellacani is already based. Speaking about their partnership, she said: “We know each other very well, and that helps us. We know how we dive, and I can’t wait for Matteo to join me in Miami.”

Santoro and Liñán now join the ranks of other openly gay male divers who have left their mark on the World Championships, including Greg Louganis of the USA, Tom Daley of Great Britain, and Australia’s Mathew Helm.

Their openness and triumph on the world stage signal a significant moment for LGBTQ+ representation in sport, proving once again that pride and performance can go hand in hand.