Interviews
Daley Diving For Gold
Jemima Hunter
July 30, 2021
Plymouth-born Tom Daley strikes gold as he wins the ultimate Olympic medal dream, he’s been waiting for. The GB diving celeb paired with Matt Lee in the men’s synchronised ten metre platform and constructed a flawless display. After receiving bronze in 2012 and 2016, Daley mastered his skills in order to accomplish high in the Tokyo Olympics.
‘I started swimming at the age of three, and I played a few different sports at school – football and rugby – but I wasn’t very good at them and didn’t enjoy them. Then I went to a public diving session and really loved it.’
The television personality started out young in his sporting endeavours, as a member of the Plymouth Diving club at age seven, Daley was recognised early for his precision on the board. Having completed international competitions by nine, Daley first attended the 2008 Summer Olympics a teenager and found himself as the youngest competitor representing Great Britain.
Daley always aspired to be as good as Alexandre Despatie, a Canadian diver who won a gold medal in 1998 at the Commonwealth games at the adolescent age of thirteen.
At fourteen Daley exclaimed ‘My dream is a gold. With a lot of work, and if I dive as well as I can, I hope to achieve that dream.’ Now at age twenty-seven he has finally achieved his goal.
Only a year later, the British diver won the FINA World Championship for the ten-metre platform. Following this Daley secured two gold medals in the 2010 Commonwealth Games, making a name for himself, and becoming the influential face we know today. As a young, memorable performer completing the 2012 Olympics, ITV approached Daley to be featured on the TV programme ‘Splash’ which established the diver as a recognisable sportsman.
As Daley stands with his head high on the podium, he declares ‘The gold medal is always the main aim for me, no matter what competition.’
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