“The Camaraderie Across Countries Is Incredible”: Craig Davies on the Spirit of Gay Games XII
Interview and article by Mpho Molefe
Camera: Xolani Sithole
For Craig Davies, competing at Gay Games XII in València represents far more than participation in an international sporting event. It is an opportunity to experience a global community united through inclusion, visibility, and a shared love of sport.
Travelling from Mbombela, Mpumalanga, Davies joined thousands of athletes from around the world who gathered in Spain to celebrate not only competition, but also the values that have defined the Gay Games movement for decades: participation, diversity, and belonging.
“The camaraderie across countries is incredible,” he reflects. “It’s such a great opportunity to meet people and connect with others.”
Those connections have become one of the defining features of his experience in València. While athletes compete in different disciplines and represent different nations, the atmosphere created by the Games encourages solidarity rather than separation. For Davies, that spirit has been impossible to ignore.
“I’m having the best time, and the rest of the South Africans are having the best time,” he says. “People are amazing. The events are amazing.”
Yet his reflections extend beyond the excitement of the Games themselves. Davies believes that creating sustainable LGBTQIA+ sporting communities in South Africa requires continued investment, stronger networks, and meaningful grassroots involvement. Although various initiatives have emerged over the years, maintaining momentum remains a challenge.
“There needs to be more community projects and involvement that get LGBTQIA+ sports going,” he explains. “Maybe there needs to be more emphasis from clubs promoting that.”
His comments speak to broader conversations about inclusion within sport. Legal recognition and representation matter, but so do the everyday spaces where athletes train, compete, and build community. The Gay Games offer a glimpse of what such environments can look like when participation is placed at the centre.
Davies hopes that more South Africans will consider taking part in future editions of the Games, not only for the athletic opportunities they provide but for the relationships and experiences that emerge along the way.
“The next time, definitely join,” he says. “You’ll have a blast.”
Competing in the decathlon, a discipline that demands versatility across ten events, Davies embraces challenge and variety both on and off the track. In many ways, that openness mirrors the ethos of Gay Games XII itself: bringing together people from different backgrounds to share experiences, celebrate identity, and demonstrate that sport can be a powerful vehicle for community.
For Davies, the lasting memory of València will not be measured solely in results or rankings. It will be found in the friendships formed, the stories exchanged, and the extraordinary sense of belonging created when people from across the world come together in the spirit of pride and participation.
Watch the Full Interview
Athlete Spotlight #2 forms part of our continuing coverage of Gay Games XII València 2026.
