Olympic Diving Medalist Tom Daley Reflects on Father’s Death After 5th Medal

Tom Daley Patrick Khachfe/Getty Images

English diver Tom Daley is competing in his fifth Olympics and after earning his fifth overall medal, he paid tribute to his father.

Robert Daley died in 2011 of a brain tumor one year before Tom, 30, won his first-ever Olympic medal at the 2012 London games.

Speaking on British morning show This Morning on Thursday, August 1, after winning the silver in 10m synchro diving in Paris, Tom remembered his father’s support growing up.

“​​My dad was my biggest cheerleader, biggest supporter,” he said. “I always knew exactly where he was, sitting in the crowd with his massive flag that he would wave.”

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Even though Robert never got to see his son win a medal, he did get a chance to see Tom compete as the youngest athlete representing Great Britain at the 2008 Beijing Olympics and the youngest athlete from any nation to reach a final. He was 14 at the time.

Courtesy of Tom Daley/Instagram

“I feel like everything happens for a reason in a weird way, but my dad did get to see me compete in my first Olympics in 2008 and that was an outside chance that I would ever qualify,” Tom remembered. “He also got to see me win my first world title in 2009 when I was 15 … I do hope he would be incredibly proud of the things I’ve achieved since then.”

For Tom, these Olympics especially are a family affair. His husband, Dustin Lance Black, and two sons, Robbie, 6, and Phoenix, 16 months, have been by his side in Paris. In fact, Robbie is the one who encouraged Tom to return to the Olympic stage.

‘We were in the Olympic and Paralympic Museum in Colorado Springs and at the end of it there was this inspirational video about what it means to be an Olympian and at the end of it I was crying,” he recalled. “’My husband, Lance, turns to me and is like, ‘Oh, no, I know what this means,’ and Robbie was like, ‘What’s the matter, Pappa?’”

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He continued, “I just missed diving and I missed the sport and after taking two years away from it, he said, ‘Well, Pappa, I want to see you dive at the Olympics,’ and that was it.”

Tom Daley with father Robert Daley. Courtesy of Tom Daley/Instagram

Tom, who is known for his knitting poolside while others are competing, explained how much family and fans matter at the Olympics. He added that Lance has “put his career to the side” while he’s chased his Olympic dreams.

“The family and supporters really are the unsung heroes of Olympians and give you everything you need to help you perform at your best,” he said.