It is happening: Greg Louganis on a Wheaties box

This new makes me as happy as a clam at high tide – really so absolutely thrilled.

Wheaties maker General Mills has confirmed that 28 years after he won his third and fourth Olympic gold medals at the 1988 Summer Games in South Korea, Olympic diving legend Greg Louganis will begin appearing on boxes of Wheaties in May at least through the summer, according to The New York Times.

Two other overlooked Olympians from Louganis’ era will also get their own ‘legends series’ boxes: hurdler Edwin Moses and the swimmer Janet Evans.

General Mills plans to unveil the boxes tomorrow.

The company played down any role a petition with more than 41,000 signatures may have played in Louganis’ selection. He was also featured last year in the Emmy-nominated HBO documentary Greg Louganis: Back on Board.

Although he did not come out publicly as gay until 1994, the diver did not get the same kind of commercial endorsements as fellow US Olympians such as Mary Lou Retton and Bruce Jenner (now known as Caitlyn Jenner) who were both featured on Wheaties boxes.

Louganis, who competed in the 1976, 1984 and 1988 Olympics, has a total of four gold medals and a silver medal.

He says he does not mind sharing the spotlight with Evans who he ‘watched grow up’ and Moses.

‘Edwin and I were in the 1976 Olympics together,’ he tells The Times. ‘He was my hero. God, he was my inspiration to get trust funds put in place for the athletes coming behind me.’