Her fears were alleviated when she contacted a military LGBTQ+ leader in 2020, who assured her that she would not face sanctions for coming out, she said.
The moment this (interview) comes out, I'm essentially getting rid of that fear.' Holmes, a former army officer who left in 1997 to concentrate on athletics, said she had hidden her sexuality for fear of repercussion, because Britain did not allow gay, lesbian and bisexual people to serve in the military until 2000. I feel like I'm going to explode with excitement,' Holmes told the Sunday Mirror newspaper. The 52-year-old, who won gold in the 800 and 1,500 metres at the 2004 Games in Athens, said on Saturday she had known she was gay since she was 17. Britain's double Olympic champion Kelly Holmes has revealed she is gay, saying she was nervous and excited about coming out in a move that could have saved her years of heartache.
