Four years ago, one of the few openly gay out athletes, lesbian Dutch speedskater Ireen Wüst won gold for the 3,000-meter race in Turin. Today, she repeated history

“Pulling all the pieces together, “I’m so proud and happy,” she says of winning gold for the 1,500 meter race this time around (she won bronze in the event in 2006). “I can’t describe how happy I am. I don’t have words for it. I think I’m the happiest person on Earth right now.”

Those are the words of the athlete who was worried talk about her sexuality was overtaking the reason she is in Vancouver: to win. And even we could feel the tears brewing on the medal podium as she received the gold medal around her neck.

Congrats Ireen!