British swimmer Dan Jervis has said "I look in the mirror and I like who I am" after publicly coming out as gay.
Next month Jervis, 26, will compete in his third Commonwealth Games having been selected in the Welsh squad. The Neath-born star won silver in the 1500 metre freestyle race in the last Games in Australia four years ago, and also took bronze in Glasgow in 2014.
He also reached the 1500m final on his Olympic debut in Tokyo last year, finishing fifth, but his latest significant career moment has come outside of the pool - bravely going public about his sexuality just a month before he competes in Birmingham.
In an interview with the BBC's LGBT Sport Podcast , Jervis admitted: "It was something in the back of my mind, bugging me. I thought I was bisexual and had girlfriends that I loved - but it came to about three years ago where I knew I had to deal with this.
"It wasn't affecting my swimming, but me as a human being. It sounds quite drastic, but I wasn't enjoying my life. Yeah, I was smiling, but there was something missing to make me properly happy."
Jervis first confided to a counsellor who he'd known for a long period of time before having the confidence to tell his best friend. And despite struggling at first to get the words out, he said the reaction has been wholly positive.
"She [his best friend] was quite shocked but great, and it was exactly the reaction I wanted. I've had all good reactions, and the way I've described it is I'm not going to change as a person. I'm still the Dan you've always known. You just know something else about me now."
Earlier this month, Leinster's Nick McCarthy came out as gay, having nearly quit rugby before opting to speak to coaches and teammates. Dame Kelly Holmes also recently came out as gay.
And Jervis said that the example set by other gay sporting stars had inspired him to come out himself: "Michael Gunning is a swimmer and an absolute legend, and he said I should come on to this show," he added. "I messaged hammer thrower Osian Jones about it as well.
"I also heard Mark Foster say on your podcast that he wanted to add his weight to making people's lives better, and I feel that as well. When I was younger in swimming, I wasn't aware of any out swimmers so didn't have anyone I could look to who was like me. I want to be that person for someone."
Jervis is also a devout Christian, and said that he was initially reluctant to come out because he was "just trying to fit in." But he is now at peace with his faith, sexuality, and status as potential Welsh medalist in Birmingham.
"It took 24 years to be who I was, but now I'm happy," he concluded. "I look in the mirror and I like who I am."
