After the 1976 Summer Olympics in Montreal, 16-year-old Greg Louganis went back to high school with a silver medal in diving. It would be eight years before he’d win the first of his four gold medals.

Bruce Jenner, meanwhile, left the biggest star of those Olympics after winning the gold medal in the decathlon and being proclaimed the greatest athlete in the world.

Jenner publicly transitioned this year from Bruce to the female Caitlyn and Louganis was asked about his fellow Olympic legend on Thursday (30 July) while promoting the HBO documentary Back on Board: Greg Louganis which premieres on 4 August.

‘We marched in the opening ceremonies in 1976. We were then on the Medco 2008 Tour of Champions,’ Louganis said at the TV Critics Association’s summer press tour. ‘I thought to myself I couldn’t get a word in edge wise (when I was around Bruce).’

‘Our paths haven’t crossed since she transitioned, but I’m looking forward (to meeting her). What’s so apparent whether you’re bisexual, transgender or a transvestite is that we all have our journeys.’

Louganis, who came out publicly as a gay man in 1994, was not aware of Jenner’s life-long struggle with gender identity.

‘I had no idea,’ he said. ‘It’s not something that was at the forefront of our conversation.’