Gus Kenworthy was the special guest on last night's Conan, where the out freeskier discussed the coming out that almost was during 2014's Sochi Olympics.

"I've always been gay," Kenworthy told host Conan O'Brien. "I knew I was gay, I think when I was 5 years old."

So why did he wait so long to come out? "It was something that was hard for me to come to terms with. And I didn't want to say anything that was going to give me any kind of separation from the pact. I didn't want to differentiate myself or alienate myself in any way."

Kenworthy then cut off Conan – who was explaining Kenworthy's reluctance to give interviews during this time – telling the host, "Love that lavender shirt."

More seriously, Kenworthy explained his mindset in the weeks before arriving in Sochi.

“Leading into the Russian Olympics there was all this anti-LGBT legislature, and they had warned people, 'If you’re gay, or if any of the athletes are gay, try not to show it because it’s very unsafe, it’s not accepted.' And I was like, 'That’s bullsh*t!' I wasn’t even out. But I was like, 'That’s ridiculous.'”

Kenworthy admitted that he had made a somewhat-plan to land the best run ever, win an Olympic gold medal and kiss his then-boyfriend.

It didn't happen (he instead won a silver).

"I'm glad it didn't because I hadn't told my mom, my dad, my brothers. It would have not only been a shock to the sport and the Olympics, but my family would have been like, 'What the hell?'"

Watch the clip below.