Diving star Daley: Olympic champion who grew up in the public eye
Britain's Tom Daley (left) and Matty Lee react after winning Olympic diving gold in Tokyo
Tokyo (AFP)
Tom Daley's first Olympic diving title adds a golden chapter to a life lived in the public eye, during which he has become one of Britain's most recognisable athletes and prominent voices on gay rights.
The 27-year-old, along with Matty Lee, took full advantage of some uncharacteristically wayward Chinese diving to win synchronised 10m platform gold on Monday at the pandemic-delayed Tokyo Games.
It was Daley's first gold -- at his fourth Games -- to go with the bronzes he won at London 2012 and Rio 2016.
Afterwards, having wiped away tears on the podium, Daley said: "Oh my goodness, it's actually kind of unbelievable.
"I've dreamt of this -- as has Matt -- since I started diving 20 years ago."
Daley's story is a whirlwind tale sprinkled with success but also heartbreak, much of it played out in the glare of publicity.
He began diving at the age of seven and there was a media frenzy around him when he competed at the 2008 Beijing Games as a fresh-faced schoolboy of just 14.
A year later, in Rome, Daley won gold at the world championships to underline his prodigious talent and prove that he could justify the hype.#photo1
But there were growing pains. He was bullied at school and in 2011 his father, Rob, who did so much to support his diving career, died of cancer aged 40.
There was immense pressure on Daley as a home gold-medal prospect -- and one of the faces -- of the London 2012 Games.
He did not quite live up to the hype but still won bronze in the 10m platform.
Daley has said that it was only after the London Games that the death of his father really hit him.
There were also injuries, he considered quitting diving and speculation constantly swirled about his sexuality.
In 2017 he married Oscar-winning US screenwriter Dustin Lance Black, after coming out at the age of 19.
Together they have a young son, Robbie, named after Daley's father. He watched dad's Tokyo heroics on television.
At Rio 2016, Daley won bronze again, this time alongside Daniel Goodfellow, but he fluffed his lines in the individual event. It was seen at the time as his prime opportunity to finally claim gold.
- 'Unfinished story' -
Daley has transcended his sport. He is vocal on gay issues, including urging homosexual footballers to be open about their sexuality, in order to help young fans who are struggling with their identity.
At the 2018 Commonwealth Games, where he won gold with Goodfellow, he called on nations in the Commonwealth that outlaw homosexuality to relax their anti-gay stance.
In recent months, Daley has made headlines once more back in Britain -- plenty of what he does ends up in newspapers -- this time for passing time under coronavirus lockdowns by getting into crochet and knitting.#photo2
He does not shy away from the limelight and has nearly 900,000 followers on his YouTube channel.
The gold medal freshly hanging around his neck, Daley said that his husband had a feeling that something special might happen in Tokyo.
There were suggestions in the build-up that this would be Daley's last Games, but he played down the idea of retirement after his triumph.
"It was my husband who said to me that my story wasn't finished," he said.
© 2021 AFP
Oli SCARFF AFP
Issued on: 26/07/2021
Issued on: 26/07/2021
Tokyo (AFP)
Tom Daley's first Olympic diving title adds a golden chapter to a life lived in the public eye, during which he has become one of Britain's most recognisable athletes and prominent voices on gay rights.
The 27-year-old, along with Matty Lee, took full advantage of some uncharacteristically wayward Chinese diving to win synchronised 10m platform gold on Monday at the pandemic-delayed Tokyo Games.
It was Daley's first gold -- at his fourth Games -- to go with the bronzes he won at London 2012 and Rio 2016.
Afterwards, having wiped away tears on the podium, Daley said: "Oh my goodness, it's actually kind of unbelievable.
"I've dreamt of this -- as has Matt -- since I started diving 20 years ago."
Daley's story is a whirlwind tale sprinkled with success but also heartbreak, much of it played out in the glare of publicity.
He began diving at the age of seven and there was a media frenzy around him when he competed at the 2008 Beijing Games as a fresh-faced schoolboy of just 14.
A year later, in Rome, Daley won gold at the world championships to underline his prodigious talent and prove that he could justify the hype.#photo1
But there were growing pains. He was bullied at school and in 2011 his father, Rob, who did so much to support his diving career, died of cancer aged 40.
There was immense pressure on Daley as a home gold-medal prospect -- and one of the faces -- of the London 2012 Games.
He did not quite live up to the hype but still won bronze in the 10m platform.
Daley has said that it was only after the London Games that the death of his father really hit him.
There were also injuries, he considered quitting diving and speculation constantly swirled about his sexuality.
In 2017 he married Oscar-winning US screenwriter Dustin Lance Black, after coming out at the age of 19.
Together they have a young son, Robbie, named after Daley's father. He watched dad's Tokyo heroics on television.
At Rio 2016, Daley won bronze again, this time alongside Daniel Goodfellow, but he fluffed his lines in the individual event. It was seen at the time as his prime opportunity to finally claim gold.
- 'Unfinished story' -
Daley has transcended his sport. He is vocal on gay issues, including urging homosexual footballers to be open about their sexuality, in order to help young fans who are struggling with their identity.
At the 2018 Commonwealth Games, where he won gold with Goodfellow, he called on nations in the Commonwealth that outlaw homosexuality to relax their anti-gay stance.
In recent months, Daley has made headlines once more back in Britain -- plenty of what he does ends up in newspapers -- this time for passing time under coronavirus lockdowns by getting into crochet and knitting.#photo2
He does not shy away from the limelight and has nearly 900,000 followers on his YouTube channel.
The gold medal freshly hanging around his neck, Daley said that his husband had a feeling that something special might happen in Tokyo.
There were suggestions in the build-up that this would be Daley's last Games, but he played down the idea of retirement after his triumph.
"It was my husband who said to me that my story wasn't finished," he said.
© 2021 AFP
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