HomoQuotable – Blake Skjellerup

“In the space of 30 seconds, I saw one of the greatest things about sport, and something I had always believed existed, but never witnessed. The gentleman beside me was not the only person calling out ‘Jason Collins.’ As I think about it now, the goosebumps I felt last night re-appear. An arena full of people, calling and chanting the name of a player who is undoubtedly one of the most well-known athletes in the world, who is in a professional sport, and is gay. As Jason took to the court, the crowd, myself included, took to our feet. The applause and cheering that followed was something I will never forget. As a 16-year-old I longed for a role model and visible identity like Jason Collins. Now, as a 28-year-old, I was a part of something that showed the greatness of sport, and also, the greatness of humanity.” – New Zealander Olympic speed skater Blake Skjellerup, writing for HyperVocal.