Jake Williamson, a former Sunday League footballer, knows firsthand how unwelcoming sports can be for gay men. His playing career ended abruptly after he came out as gay and faced rejection. But finding the Hyrox community gave him a fresh start. This summer, Williamson will represent England for the second time at the Elite Relay Invitational in Chicago. With his sights set on the World Championship title and his new inclusive run club and app, he hopes to inspire other LGBTQ+ athletes.
“Sport has always been important to me,” Williamson said. “Some of my earliest memories are playing football tournaments. As a teenager, I was popular but also in denial about being gay.” He recalls how gay students at his school were often outcast. “I thought, ‘I’m gay, but I’m not like those others — I’m on the sports team.’”
Williamson also felt pressure to maintain a certain image. “Being a good-looking player on the first team came with expectations. I even slept with a few girls to hide the truth.” Though he spoke with men online, he was afraid to attend gay nightclubs. “I lived with six other guys and wished I had the confidence to speak out, but it felt impossible. I had never met an openly gay footballer.”
After university, Williamson tried to build a football career, signing some semi-professional contracts and attending trials. But things did not go well. During the COVID-19 pandemic, he started talking to an older man online. On a walk together, they held hands for the first time. “It was unlike any physical intimacy I had before. That moment made me realize I needed to come out.”
He told his father first. “It was painful. I cried on the floor. But my dad was relieved. He thought I was going to say I was dying.”
Williamson then joined a Sunday League football team again. He appeared on James Wallis’s podcast, Extra Ordinary, to share his experiences as an openly gay footballer. However, after the podcast aired, his team removed him from the team sheet and group chat. “I was devastated. The team was average, but it still hurt.” Without any formal regulations in Sunday League football, he had no recourse. This effectively ended his football career.
Moving to Birmingham, Williamson joined a run club to meet new people. Running became his social life. Later, a friend introduced him to Hyrox, a competitive fitness event. He took part in his first Hyrox event in Barcelona and found he was good at it.
“Now that I’m openly gay, I can speak up as a spokesperson,” Williamson said. “In Hyrox, being gay is not taboo. I stayed with Hyrox world record holder Hunter McIntyre in Malibu, and we talked about it openly.” He added, “I speak about being gay a lot because others still can’t. More people display rainbow flags at the gym now, but barriers remain.”
Williamson has set a five-year goal to become the Hyrox World Champion. He wants to use that success to help others.
He also founded a run club called Better The Next Day (BTND). The club welcomes everyone. “BTND helps people find their crew on their own terms,” he said. “For me, sport was a way to express myself, even when I couldn’t be open about my sexuality. That has helped me a lot.”
Williamson believes sport needs more role models and stronger protections. “Many gay people avoid sports because of prejudice. We need to set examples for them.” He encourages athletes to challenge homophobic or misogynistic locker room talk. “It can be hard, but if it happens, you should speak up. Everyone deserves a chance to play.”
