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Tom Daley returns to the pool for the first time in 2 years and wins gold
Daley and partner Noah Williams won gold at the British National Diving Cup.
Tom Daley is back in the pool, and picking up right where he left off.
The iconic Olympian competed recently at the British National Diving Cup, and won gold in the 10-meter platform synchro event with his new partner, Noah Williams.
It was the first time Daley has competed since Tokyo 2020, when he took home his first Olympic gold.
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“It felt really weird to come back [to the sport], I felt quite shy in a way to get back into it, because I had been part of that team for so long, and then to step out and see how things had changed, it felt weird and different,” he told British Swimming.
“But it is really nice to be back. I feel really happy, I’m enjoying it and that’s the main thing.”
It’s been more than two years since Daley stepped away from diving, and even longer since he’s competed in front of fans. Spectators were barred from the Tokyo Games, due to COVID restrictions.
“It was weird to dive in front of a crowd with people – last time I competed, there was nobody there in Tokyo,” said Daley. “It is very nice to be back and get that adrenaline going again.”
The 29-year-old superstar decided to return to diving over the summer, after he visited the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic headquarters in Colorado with his son.
“I’m not ready to be done, and I don’t think I was ready to be done and hang up my trunks and move on with that part of my life, and especially when my son Robbie said ‘Pappa I want to see you dive at the Olympics,'” said Daley in his comeback video.
Daley and his husband, producer Dustin Lance Black, welcomed Robbie into the world in 2018. They had their second son, Phoenix Rose, last March.
Appropriately, Daley pumped himself up to Troye Sivan‘s summer banger, “Rush.”
A diving prodigy, Daley was the youngest person to ever medal at the European Championships. The British native partook in his first Olympic Games at Beijing 2008, when he was just 14 years old.
Daley publicly came out as gay in 2013, when he started dating Black. His coming out video has been viewed more than 13 million times.
In the ensuing years, Daley experienced incredible success in the pool, winning four Olympic medals. His ultimate triumph came two years ago, when he and partner Matty Lee won gold in the men’s 10-meter synchronized diving in Tokyo.
Following his victory, Daley shared some powerful words about what it meant to win gold as an out gay athlete.
“I feel incredibly proud to say I am a gay man and also an Olympic champion. I feel very empowered by that,” he said. “When I was younger I thought I was never going to be anything or achieve anything because of who I was. To be an Olympic champion now shows that you can achieve anything.”
With his eyes set on Paris 2024, Daley is looking to qualify for his fifth Olympic Games. He will turn 30 in May, likely making him the oldest competitor in his sport.
As Daley prepares to compete again, he’s been giving fans an inside look at his fitness and nutritional regimen. A couple months back, he recorded a video sharing his dietary insights, alongside footage of divers in their skimpy speedos.
Hey, he knows his audience!
Suffice to say, Daley looks ripped, and ready to take on the world once more.
Or at least, capture some more hardware.
His Comeback Era is off to the best possible start.
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