Full Answer
What happened to Greg Louganis?
Jun 10, 2021 · After a doctor applied four stitches to his wound, Louganis was able to return to the diving board and finish the round in third place. He went on to win the gold medal and become the first man to...
How did Louganis become famous?
Jan 25, 2022 · When Louganis was eight years old, he picked up his first cigarette and got into the habit of smoking and drinking alcohol. On the day he turned 13, Louganis sat in a juvenile center as punishment from his parents who learned that he was using, reported The Los Angeles Times in 1986. He had been hiding drugs in his room.
What did Louganis do when he was diagnosed with HIV?
1 hour ago · Greg Louganis at the Olympics. Louganis made his Olympic debut at just 16 years of age at the 1976 Summer Olympics in Montreal, where he received a silver medal.. He was ready to win gold, and was highly favored to do so at the 1980 Olympics in Moscow but did not attend the Games due to the US’ boycott in protest of the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan.
What disease did Louganis have in 1988?
After long bouts with drug and alcohol addiction, low-self esteem, and an abusive relationship, Louganis turned his life around. He publicly acknowledged his sexuality at …
Who is the greatest diver of all time?
Greg Louganis, in full Gregory Efthimios Louganis, (born January 29, 1960, San Diego, California, U.S.), American diver generally considered the greatest diver in history.
Is Greg Louganis dyslexic?
Though he struggled in school at a young age, Louganis didn't recognize his dyslexia until high school. "I was given 'dyslexia' as a vocabulary word in my freshman English class," he said. “Once I knew what dyslexia was, I recognized it." However, he excelled in tumbling and found a love for the pool at a young age.
Do divers ever hit their heads on the platform?
Footage has surfaced that reveals the moment British diving star Monique Gladding hit her head on the board and entered the water unconscious at the FINA Grand Prix in Russia. Gladding is recovering in hospital after suffering a head injury hitting the platform during her 10-metre synchronised performance.Apr 13, 2022
How old is Greg Louganis?
62 years (January 29, 1960)Greg Louganis / Age
Who was the Olympic diver that hit his head?
Greg LouganisAmerican Greg Louganis braving a head injury to win the 3m Springboard diving gold at Seoul 1988 is one of the everlasting Olympics images. Louganis' head struck the springboard during the preliminary rounds. He was back in the pool soon after receiving five stitches to head.Jul 17, 2021
Who is Greg Louganis husband?
Johnny ChaillotGreg Louganis / Husband (m. 2013)
Where is Louganis from?
Louganis' full name is Gregory Efthimios Louganis. He was born on January 29, 1960 in San Diego, California (via Britannica ). Both of his biological parents were teens, who were only 15 years old when he came into the world ( ESPN ).
Who adopted the sailor?
He was adopted by Peter and Frances Louganis, and despite the likelihood of them being better off to care for a child, life with his new family wasn't exactly swell. He didn't get a loving home, and instead got the opposite.
What is dyslexia in school?
As defined by Mayo Clinic, dyslexia is a learning disability that can cause someone to have difficulty reading. It caused him to be the target of teasing by his peers, who also chastised him for the school activities he was mostly drawn to, such as gymnastics and acrobatics ( ESPN ).
Who was Louganis' manager?
From 1983 to 1989, Louganis was in a romantic relationship with his manager, R. James "Jim" Babbitt. Louganis has described the relationship as abusive, saying that at one point in 1983, Babbitt raped him at knifepoint. Louganis also accused Babbitt of taking 80% of his earnings.
What happened to Louganis in the Olympics?
Six months before the 1988 Olympics, Louganis was diagnosed with HIV, and started antiretrovirals. At the time, people with HIV/AIDS faced great stigma often losing their jobs, being denied housing, and being ostracized. Years later, in 1995, Louganis came out publicly as HIV+. When he had injured his head at the 1988 Seoul Olympics and some blood got in the pool, Louganis said he was "paralyzed with fear" that someone might catch the virus, but nobody did. The incident posed no risk to others as any blood was fully diluted by the pool water, and according to John Ward, chief of HIV-AIDS surveillance at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, " chlorine kills HIV". Since skin is an effective barrier to HIV, the only way the virus could enter would be through an open wound; "If the virus just touches the skin, it is unheard of for it to cause infection: the skin has no receptors to bind HIV," explained the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases ' Dr. Anthony Fauci.
How did Babbitt die?
Babbitt died of AIDS in 1990. For his 33rd birthday in 1993, Louganis held a "final birthday party" for family and friends, as a way to say goodbye; he was in failing health and thought he would die of AIDS soon.
Where is Louganis from?
Louganis was born in El Cajon, California, and is of Samoan and Swedish descent. His teenage biological parents placed him for adoption when he was eight months old and he was raised in California by his adoptive parents, Frances and Peter Louganis. His adoptive father was of Greek descent.
Who won the 1976 Olympics?
At sixteen, Louganis took part in the 1976 Summer Olympics in Montreal, where he placed second in the tower event, behind Italian sport legend Klaus Dibiasi. Two years later, with Dibiasi retired, Louganis won his first world title in the same event with the help of coach Ron O'Brien .
What was the name of the game show that Louganis appeared on?
In September 2000, Louganis appeared on Hollywood Squares as a member of famous Olympic gold medalists "Dream Team," competing in a special week of the game show series broadcast as a tribute to the 2000 Summer Games.
When did Louganis and Chaillot get married?
In June 2013 Louganis announced his engagement to his partner, paralegal Johnny Chaillot, in People magazine. The two were married on October 12, 2013. On June 18, 2021, Louganis announced on Instagram that he and Chaillot had mutually agreed to end their marriage.
Greg Louganis at the Olympics
Louganis made his Olympic debut at just 16 years of age at the 1976 Summer Olympics in Montreal, where he received a silver medal.
The accident at Seoul in 1988
Despite his many achievements, Louganis may be most well known for one of his rare accidents.
Greg Louganis as a coach, dog trainer, and activist
After coming out, Louganis became an outspoken activist for the LGBT community, as well as those living with HIV/AIDS.
Overview
Gregory Efthimios Louganis is an American Olympic diver, LGBT activist, and author who won gold medals at the 1984 and 1988 Summer Olympics, on both the springboard and platform. He is the only man and the second diver in Olympic history to sweep the diving events in consecutive Olympic Games. He has been called both "the greatest American diver" and "probably the greatest …
Early life and education
Louganis was born in El Cajon, California, and is of Samoan and Swedish descent. His teenage biological parents placed him for adoption when he was eight months old and he was raised in California by his adoptive parents, Frances and Peter Louganis. His adoptive father was of Greek descent. Louganis reconnected with his biological father, Fouvale Lutu, in 1984. Through the help of DNA tests and his half-siblings, he found his biological mother in 2017.
Diving career
As a Junior Olympic competitor, Louganis caught the eye of Dr. Sammy Lee, two-time Olympic champion, who began coaching him. At sixteen, Louganis took part in the 1976 Summer Olympics in Montreal, where he placed second in the tower event, behind Italian sport legend Klaus Dibiasi. Two years later, with Dibiasi retired, Louganis won his first world title in the same event with the help of coach Ron O'Brien.
Media career
Louganis had been a theatre major in college, and in the late 1980s and 1990s, he appeared in a number of movies, including Touch Me in 1997.
In 1993, he played the role of Darius in an Off-Broadway production of the play Jeffrey. In 1995, he starred for six weeks in the Off-Broadway production of Dan Butler's one man-show about gay life, The Only Thing Worse You Could Have Told Me, taking over from Butler himself. In the play he p…
Dog agility competitions
After retiring from diving, Louganis began to compete in dog agility competitions; he has said that being around the dogs gave him "a sense of security, company and unconditional love". His dogs have included Dr. Schivago; Captain Woof Blitzer; Nipper and son, Dobby, both champion Jack Russell terriers; Gryff (Gryffindor), a border collie; and Hedwig, a Hungarian Puli. Nipper was named for the RCA dog, while Gryff, Dobby and Hedwig were named for Harry Pottercharacters, as Loug…
Activism
Louganis is a gay rights activist, as well as an HIV awareness advocate. He has worked frequently with the Human Rights Campaign to defend the civil liberties of the LGBT community and people diagnosed with HIV/AIDS.
In the October/November 2010 issue of ABILITY Magazine, Louganis stated that the "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy was "absurd," "unconstitutional," and a "witch-h…
Personal life
From 1983 to 1989, Louganis was in a romantic relationship with his manager, R. James "Jim" Babbitt. Louganis has described the relationship as abusive, saying that at one point in 1983, Babbitt raped him at knifepoint. Louganis also accused Babbitt of taking 80% of his earnings.
Six months before the 1988 Olympics, Louganis was diagnosed with HIV; he ha…
In popular culture
Louganis's 1984 and 1988 Olympic victories were covered in Bud Greenspan's documentaries about the 1984 and 1988 Summer Olympics, both titled 16 Days of Glory.
Louganis's memoir Breaking the Surface was adapted as the 1997 USA Network TV movie Breaking the Surface: The Greg Louganis Story with Mario Lopez playing the lead and Louganis narrating.
In the 2005 film The Longest Yard, the character Caretaker responds to t…
Louganis's 1984 and 1988 Olympic victories were covered in Bud Greenspan's documentaries about the 1984 and 1988 Summer Olympics, both titled 16 Days of Glory.
Louganis's memoir Breaking the Surface was adapted as the 1997 USA Network TV movie Breaking the Surface: The Greg Louganis Story with Mario Lopez playing the lead and Louganis narrating.
In the 2005 film The Longest Yard, the character Caretaker responds to the argument that Crew…
Louganis Is Diagnosed with Dyslexia
Discovering His New Talent, But Also Drugs
His Battle with Substance Abuse
Career Setbacks and An Almost Tragic End
Coming Out, and Another Health Diagnosis at The Height of Stigma
- During the 1980’s the stigma surrounding AIDS and HIV was at its highest. Unbeknownst to everyone, save his coach and a small group, Louganis was HIV positive (via NBC). He learned of it just months before the Seoul Olympics but knew sharing his diagnosis could end his Olympic dreams. His coach snuck in Louganis’s needed daily medication, and he we...