Kate And Helen Richardson-Walsh Become First Same-Sex Married Couple To Win Gold
Article originally published 20/08/2016: due to a technical issue this article may have resurfaced for some readers, and the original publish date may not have been visible.
Great Britain’s dramatic gold medal in the hockey marked the first Olympic title for the women’s team. It was also significant for boasting the first same-sex married couple to win a gold.
Kate and Helen Richardson-Walsh married in 2013, the same year as same-sex marriages were legalised in the UK.
The pair were instrumental in the victory, brought about after a nail-biting penalty shoot-out.
Kate, the team captain, is considered Team GB’s driving force. Helen withstood a chorus of boos from a mostly Netherlands-supporting crowd to score the decisive penalty.
The pair, who hadbeen playing hockey together for 17 years but only got together in 2008, told the BBC how victory was all the more sweet for achieving it together. Helen said:
“It’s pretty special. To win one of these is special. But to share it with someone like Kate is truly amazing.”
Said Kate:
“It’s very special. Just to see Helen come back from double back surgery, maybe never play hockey again, the strength and resilience she has shown has resonated throughout the squad.”
When you win a gold medal alongside your wife... it is of course extra special. #Rio2016#hockeyhttps://t.co/Km7Vvnck7P
— BBC Sport (@BBCSport) August 19, 2016
The couple have bronze medals from London 2012, a moment shared on Instagram.
A photo posted by Kate Walsh (@katewalsh11gb) on Dec 10, 2013 at 4:13am PST
Social media hailed them the new Olympic ‘golden couple’.
So Jason Kenny and Laura Trott aren't GB's only golden couple then. Well done Kate and Helen Richardson-Walsh 🏅🏅
— Jamie Weir (@jamiecweir) August 19, 2016
Kate and Helen Richardson-Walsh first gay couple to win an Olympic Medal as well. Absolute babes the lot of them.
— Katy (@katyknowskungfu) August 19, 2016
Seriously, if you see Kate and Helen Richardson-Walsh and feel anger rather than happiness, you are wasting your life. #Hockey#Rio2016
— Pete Sinclair (@pete_sinclair) August 19, 2016
So proud of Helen & Capt Kate Richardson-Walsh with @TeamGB women's hockey - fighting and beating prejudice #GoldMedal
— Stuart Fitzgerald (@stuwystv) August 19, 2016
The BBC interviewing Kate and Helen Richardson-Walsh talking about winning the #Gold medal as wives is making me cry. What a way to go out.
— Dave Smith (@Daveyboy89) August 19, 2016
This article originally appeared on HuffPost UK and has been updated.