Greg Louganis Net Worth

What is Greg Louganis' Net Worth?

Greg Louganis is an American Olympian who has a net worth of $1 million. Greg Louganis is widely regarded as one of the greatest divers in Olympic history, celebrated for his extraordinary grace, technical precision, and mental resilience. Born in 1960 and adopted as an infant, Louganis began diving competitively at a young age and quickly distinguished himself as a prodigy. By the age of 16, he had won a silver medal at the 1976 Montreal Olympics, setting the stage for a legendary career.

After missing the 1980 Moscow Games due to the U.S. boycott, Louganis dominated the diving world throughout the 1980s. At the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics, he won gold medals in both the springboard and platform events, becoming the first male diver in over 50 years to do so. He repeated the feat at the 1988 Seoul Olympics, despite suffering a concussion during the preliminary rounds after hitting his head on the springboard—a moment that has become one of the most iconic and courageous comebacks in Olympic history.

Louganis won five Olympic medals in total (four gold, one silver) and five World Championship titles, becoming a symbol of excellence in his sport. He came out as gay in 1994 and publicly revealed his HIV-positive status, becoming an influential voice in the LGBTQ+ community and a passionate advocate for HIV awareness. His 1995 memoir, "Breaking the Surface," became a bestseller and deepened public appreciation for his personal and professional journey.

Louganis has appeared in several films, including "D2: The Mighty Ducks" (1994) and "It's My Party" (1996). After his retirement from diving, Greg turned his focus toward training dogs and competing in dog agility competitions, and he co-wrote the 1999 book "For the Life of Your Dog: A Complete Guide to Having a Dog From Adoption and Birth Through Sickness and Health." Since 2010, Louganis has coached divers in Fullerton, California, and he mentored the U.S. Olympic Diving Team at the 2012 London Olympics and the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympics.

Early Life

Gregory Efthimios Louganis was born on January 29, 1960, in El Cajon, California. He was born to teenage parents and was adopted by Frances and Peter Louganis at 9 months old. When Greg was 18 months old, his parents enrolled him in gymnastics, dance, and acrobatics classes, and he was competing by the age of 3. Louganis, who was diagnosed with allergies and asthma during his childhood, also enjoyed trampolining, and he began taking diving lessons at age 9. He studied at Valhalla High School, Mission Viejo High School, and Santa Ana High School, and he enrolled at the University of Miami in 1978. Two years later, Louganis transferred to a college that was closer to home, the University of California, Irvine, and he majored in theatre and minored in dance, graduating in 1983.

Diving Career

Greg was coached by Olympic champion Dr. Sammy Lee and participated in the 1976 Summer Olympics at the age of 16. He was runner-up to Klaus Dibiasi in the tower event, and after Dibiasi retired, Louganis won the world title in the tower event in 1978. Greg was expected to win two gold medals in the 1980 Summer Olympics, but America boycotted the Moscow Games due to the Soviet Union's invasion of Afghanistan, so he wasn't able to compete. In 1982, Louganis won two gold medals at the FINA World Aquatics Championships in Guayaquil and received a perfect score from all seven judges. He then competed at the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles, winning gold medals in 3m Springboard and 10m Platform. Greg repeated this feat at the 1988 Summer Olympics in Seoul, despite the fact that he suffered a concussion after hitting his head on the springboard during the event's preliminary rounds. That year, Louganis was named "Athlete of the Year" by ABC's "Wide World of Sports." Greg also won gold medals at the 1978 and 1986 FINA World Aquatics Championships, the 1979, 1983, and 1987 Pan American Games, and the 1983 Summer Universiade. Louganis signed an endorsement deal with Speedo after his Olympic victories, and it lasted until 2007. In 2016, his image graced boxes of Wheaties cereal as part of the brand's "Legends" series.

Dean Treml/Red Bull via Getty Images

Film, Television, and Stage Career

Greg made his acting debut in the 1987 film "Dirty Laundry." He played himself in 1994's "D2: The Mighty Ducks," a 2012 episode of "Portlandia," and 2015's "Entourage" movie, and he also appeared in "Sharknado 5: Global Swarming" (2017) and had a recurring role on the series "Old Dogs & New Tricks" (2013-2016). Louganis served as a Dive Master on ABC's "Splash" (2013) and a judge on Australia's "Celebrity Splash!" (2013) as well as ABC's "Holey Moley" (2020). He competed on "Hollywood Squares" in 2000, during a week of Olympic-themed shows. Greg has also acted in Off-Broadway productions of "Jeffrey" (1993) and Dan Butler's "The Only Thing Worse You Could Have Told Me" (1995), a one-man show in which he played 14 characters.

Personal Life

Greg was in a relationship with his manager, R. James Babbitt, from 1983 to 1989. He has said that the relationship was abusive and that Babbitt raped him at knifepoint in 1983. According to Greg, James also kept 80% of his earnings. In 1988, six months prior to the Olympics, Louganis was diagnosed with HIV, which he contracted from Babbitt. Greg took out a restraining order against him in 1989, and James died of AIDS the following year. In 1993, Louganis was so sure that he would die of AIDS that he threw a "final birthday party" when he turned 33 as a way of saying goodbye to his loved ones. He publicly came out as homosexual in 1994 in an announcement that was shown at the opening ceremony of the Gay Games, and in 1995, he announced his HIV diagnosis. Greg married paralegal Johnny Chaillot on October 12, 2013.

Louganis is an advocate for gay rights and HIV awareness, and he has worked with the Human Rights Campaign to fight for the rights of the LGBT community and people living with HIV/AIDS. He also serves on the board of directors for the Princess Charlene of Monaco Foundation; the foundation's mission is to "raise public awareness about the dangers of water, teach children preventive measures, and teach them to swim."

Awards and Honors

In 1984, the Amateur Athletic Union presented Greg with the James E. Sullivan Award, naming him America's best amateur athlete. He was inducted into the California Sports Hall of Fame and the National Gay and Lesbian Sports Hall in 2013. In 2015, Louganis served as a torchbearer at the World Games Special Olympics in Los Angeles and received the Bonham Centre Award from The Mark S. Bonham Centre for Sexual Diversity Studies. In 2017, Greg was a Grand Marshal of the Rose Parade in Pasadena.

Real Estate

In May 1985, Greg paid $395,000 for a home in Malibu. He sold this home in July 2014 for $1.8 million. According to the home's listing, the property includes ocean views and a "custom swimming pool with a diving platform built for an Olympic Gold Medalist – complete with the 'Olympic Circles' symbol painted on the bottom of the pool." Here is a video tour:

In December 2017, he paid $510,000 for a home in Topanga, California. He sold this home in August 2025 for $750,000.

Olympic Medals Auction

In June 2023, Greg placed his three Olympic medals up for auction. The auction was expected to generate a total of $80,000. He ultimately sold all three for $437,000.

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