- Date of Birth:
- 21 May 1994 (14)
- Sport:
- Diving
- Home Town:
- Plymouth
- Club:
- Plymouth Diving Club
Sponsors:
At just 14 years of age, Tom Daley went to the Beijing Olympics as the second youngest male British Olympian ever.
Tom began diving age 7 at his local diving club in Plymouth. With incredible raw talent and a strong competitive instinct, Tom has been setting records ever since. He won his first competition in June 2004 at the Nationals where he became the youngest ever under 18 champion and since then Tom, incredibly, has never been beaten in his age group at any National Championship event.
Tom’s first taste of the Olympic experience was being part of Team GB’s successful group of 106 young athletes who claimed 48 medals against elite world class opponents at the Australian Youth Olympic Festival in January 2007.
Despite requiring special dispensation to be allowed to compete at the Youth Olympics because he was two years below the minimum age requirement of 14, Tom went home with a silver medal in the 10m Platform Synchro event and finished fourth in the individual competition.
Tom’s progression in 2008 has been phenomenal. In February at the FINA World Cup in Beijing’s ‘Water Cube’ arena, he had a chance to qualify for the Beijing Olympic Games. Tom finished seventh in the Men’s Individual 10m Platform event. This top eight finish meant that he had booked his place on the GB Olympic team.
A month later in March he claimed the European Men’s 10m Platform Individual title in Eindhoven at the age of 13, becoming Britain’s youngest ever diving Gold medalist in the process. He overcame the challenge of both the current World Champion and World Cup Champion to take Gold, following flawless dives in rounds four and five of the competition which earned him top scores from the judges.
Beijing was a fantastic experience for Tom, making the finals in both the 10m Platform and 10m Platform Synchro will stand him in good stead for achieving his ultimate goal of Gold at London’s 2012 Olympics.
Achievements:
2008 2nd - 10m Platform, World Junior Championships, Germany
2008 7th – 10m Platform, Beijing Olympic Games
2008 8th – Synchro 10m Platform, Beijing Olympic Games
2008 4th - 10m Platform FINA Diving World Series, China
2008 Champion - 10m Synchro, FINA Diving World Series, Sheffield
2008 Silver - 10m Platform, FINA Diving World Series, Sheffield
2008 Champion - Men’s 10 metre platform European Champs,
2008 Sixth - Men’s 10m platform Synchro, European Champs, Eindhoven
2008 Bronze - Men’s 10m platform Synchro, FINA World Cup, Beijing
2008 Seventh - Men’s 10m platform, FINA World Cup, Beijing
2008 Champion— Men’s 10m, ASA Senior Champs, Manchester
2008 Champion— Men’s Synchro 10m, ASA Senior Champs, Manchester
2008 Champion - Men’s 10m platform, GB Senior Champs, Manchester
2008 Champion - Men’s Synchro 10m platform, GB Senior Champs, Manchester
2007 4th – Men’s 10m Platform, World Series1, Sheffield
2007 Champion – Men’s 10m Synchro Platform, ASA National Champs, Sheffield
2007 Champion – Men’s 10m Individual Platform, ASA National Champs, Sheffield
2007 Silver – Men’s 10m Synchro Platform Youth Olympics Sydney
2007 Fourth – Men’s 10m Platform Youth Olympics Sydney
2006 Champion - 10m platform ASA Elite Junior National Champs, Sheffield
2006 Champion - 1m Springboard ASA Elite Junior National Champs, Sheffield
2006 Champion - 3m Springboard ASA Elite Junior National Champs, Sheffield
