ASPEN, Colo. -- Gus Kenworthy was not lighter, at least not in a literal sense that would have helped him soar higher above the halfpipe.
He was still the same athlete who has ranked as the top-ranked overall skier in the world for the past five years.
But Kenworthy was lighter in a figurative way, a way in which a burden lifted has rekindled his love of his sport. For five years, Kenworthy had come to Aspen thirsting for an X Games medal but carrying a secret that added to his nerves in ways beyond what his competitors likely felt.