David Pichler
Diving
David Pichler became the third gay male Olympic diver to come out of the closet. Like those who proceeded him, it was not a pleasant task. Not the only diver to have his private life made public, he was faced with accusations from his coach that his lover abused him. After a scuffle aboard a plane in 1996 that led to restraining orders, harassment and what Pichler called "a nightmare," the whole country found out that another great diver is gay.
Pichler came out, re-thought his training, and chose another openly gay diver, Patrick Jeffrey, as his coach. The seven-time national champion from Butler, PA was also forced to come out to his family and re-think his life. Pichler signed a two-year contract with Speedo and continued to compete.
Pichler and Mark Ruiz won the synchronized platform final at the FINA-USA Diving Grand Prix in May 2000. Pichler and Ruiz scored 301.26 points, ahead of 298.50 for Australians Mathew Helm and Robert Newbery.
Competing in his final Olympics in Sydney 2000, Pichler was elected team
captain. The 32-year-old had an uneven competition. In his individual
event Pichler finished ninth in the 10-meter platform. In two synchronized
events he and Troy Dumais finished just two points from a bronze medal in the
3-meter springboard; while he and Mark Ruiz were a disappointing seventh in the
10-meter platform
| Stats | |
| Height/Weight | 6'/175 pounds |
| Birthdate | September 03, 1968 |
| Birth Place | Butler, PA |
| Education | Ohio State University |
| Degree | BA Economics |
| Hometown | Fort Lauderdale |
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This page was last updated on 11 June 2005