Leigh-Ann Naidoo
Cape Town, South Africa
Sport: Beach volleyball
"Beach volleyball has grown incredibly in the last 10 years and is making its Gay Games debut in Chicago, so I'm very happy to be a spokesperson to help promote the competition. But, really, I'd support the Gay Games anyway because it's been a wonderful, life-changing event for thousands of people in the LGBT community and their friends."
At a glance: A volleyball icon on the legendary beaches at her home in Cape Town, Leigh-Ann is the first member of the Gay Games Ambassador program from Africa ... In 2004, she was a member of the first African team to compete in beach volleyball at the Olympic Games ... Her father, Derrick, was president of South Africa's first non-racial volleyball organization ... As a student, she showed significant talent in a wide range of sports, such as athletics (javelin, shot put and discus), tennis, football (soccer), softball and, of course, volleyball ... In 1995, Leigh-Ann led the South African student volleyball team at the World Student Games in Fukuoka, Japan ... Became the youngest person on South Africa's senior national team at the All Africa Games ... Made a successful transition to beach volleyball ... She and her teammate Julia Willand were dubbed the "team of the season" by North American coaches in 2003 ... Enjoyed a two-year career with Julia on the FIVB circuit at tournaments around the world prior to the Athens Olympic Games in 2004 ... Resided in Chicago for two years prior to the 2006 Gay Games with her partner, Kelly Gillespie ... She and Kelly returned to Cape Town and married in mid-2007 ...
Leigh-Ann has made friends around the world speaking on behalf of the Gay Games and related issues involving the LGBT community and sport ... She was among the athletes honored at the Chicago Champions event in April 2006 that promoted Chicago's Gay Games ... During the Games, Leigh-Ann was a keynote speaker at the Sports Diversity Day conference and delivered a passionate speech during the closing ceremony at Wrigley Field ... She and Kelly worked tirelessly on behalf of the Gay Games VII scholarship program to bring the Chosen Few women's football team from Johannesburg to Chicago.
