If 2012 was the summer of Tom Daley, 2016 will be the summer of Víctor Gutiérrez.

The 25-year-old professional water polo player and Madrid native has qualified to compete with Team Spain at the summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, just one month after discussing his sexuality for the first time publicly with the Spanish language magazine Shangay.

Though Gutiérrez said he's been out for most of his life, he felt it was his responsibility to come out publicly.

"I'm out of the closet in my environment," said Gutiérrez. "My family knows I'm gay, my friends too. And I'm living in such a positive way with my sexuality that I felt a responsibility to share it with others."

He added: "Although I’m coming out, I respect those who choose not to. I have never met anyone who has judged me as an athlete for my sexuality. It has always been based on my performance. As a gay athlete, I feel the responsibility to come out because it is very important. There have been more than 70 homophobic attacks in Madrid so far this year, it is a reality that we live. And there are almost no athletes who say they are gay. But in my experience, people have changed; as an athlete, everything I have experienced is absolutely positive."

See more of your new favorite diver below:

h/t OutSports