Colin Jackson announced he's gay in a
recent interview.
The 50-year-old Jackson made his
announcement in an interview for the Swedish television series
Rainbow Heroes.
Jackson is a BBC commentator and a
former sprint and hurdling athlete who specialized in the 110 meters
hurdles. In 1988, he won the 110m hurdles at the Olympic Games.
Jackson, who has previously denied
rumors that he's gay, said that he was forced to come out to his
parents in 2006 after a former partner sold a story about their
relationship to the tabloid press.
“I was waiting for them in the
kitchen. They walked in and they sat down. My mother could see my
face and I was quite distraught,” Jackson told STV.
“It didn't phase them at all.”
“My mum went, 'First of all, is the
story true?' And I said it's true, so it's not like I can deny it.
And then she went, 'Well, why are people so disgraceful?'”
“I just realized, I've got the best
parents,” he added.
Jackson also said that he worried about
the motivations of those who had asked previously.
“The way you asked me, it was a whole
strorytelling kind of thing and you were just interested in the way
it affected me sports-wise, emotionally-wise and my preparation. I
think lots of people who have asked me before about it have wanted to
sensationalize it,” he said.