Norwegian decathlete Jonathan Hertwig-Ødegaard speaks candidly about his journey as an openly gay athlete

Norwegian decathlete Jonathan Hertwig-Ødegaard has spoken candidly about his journey as an openly gay athlete, expressing pride and happiness in his identity while calling for a cultural shift in how society views LGBTQ+ representation in sport.

In a recent interview with Norway’s public broadcaster NRK, the 20-year-old athlete shared his thoughts on coming out, visibility, and the pressures placed on queer athletes. “I’m proud and happy to be gay,” Hertwig-Ødegaard said. “And if others have an issue with my sexuality, it’s their problem.”

While he acknowledged the importance of being a role model, Hertwig-Ødegaard expressed hope that one day such visibility would no longer be necessary. “It’s great that you can be a role model,” he said, “but I hope in the long run that it doesn’t have to be necessary, and that it gets so much publicity and attention.”

He criticised the narrative that frames coming out as “brave” or “tough,” arguing that the burden of visibility should not fall solely on individuals. “The responsibility lies with society to create environments where people feel comfortable being open about their sexuality,” he explained.

Reflecting on his own youth, Hertwig-Ødegaard said that seeing more openly gay athletes would have helped him feel more secure. “Not necessarily to have someone to look up to, but just to see that it is completely normal to be gay and be a top athlete. Because it is.”

His comments come just weeks after a standout performance at the European Athletics U23 Championships in Bergen, where he achieved a personal best of 8,002 points, dominating six out of ten events. Ranked 81st globally in the decathlon, he is a three-time Norwegian Under-20 champion and is preparing to compete in NCAA athletics at the University of Texas.