LGBT sports blog Outsports has named
out figure skater Adam Rippon its Person of the Year.
“For his incredible year both on and
off the ice, Rippon is Outsports' 2018 Person of the Year,” editors
wrote.
Rippon, who came out in 2015, was the
first openly gay U.S. male athlete to medal at the 2018 Winter
Olympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea.
The 29-year-old Rippon continued to
make headlines after the Olympics.
“In addition to wowing America with
his medal-winning free skate in the team competition at the Winter
Olympics, this year Rippon won Dancing With The Stars, stirred
political conversation around LGBTQ rights and the White House,
worked the red carpet at the Oscars, acted in an episode of Will &
Grace, was a guest on seemingly countless news and talk shows,
and most recently returned to the ice for a Christmas TV special,”
Outsports
wrote. “He’s been on numerous 'best-of' lists recapping the
year. Oh, and did we mention he danced with Elmo and sang his own
rendition of a Rihanna hit before skating to it?”
Earlier this year, Rippon announced his
retirement from competitive figure skating. Rippon said that he's
had “moments of uncertainty” this year as he leaps “into the
unknown.”
“I’ll always be an athlete at
heart, but I’ve also always felt I was an entertainer. I love
making people laugh. So being able to do something that’s always
been a dream of mine, I feel like that’s my true calling,” Rippon
said.