Thomas Daley

Born 1994

Diving competitively since September 2002

» Youngest ever under 18 National Champion (aged 10 in 2004)

» Made 2007 World Championship qualification standard (too young to compete)

» Senior International Debut, May 2007

» First Senior International Final, June 2007

» 2007 British Senior Diver of the Year

» 2007 BBC Young Sports Person of the Year

» 2008 World Cup Bronze medal in Synchronised Mens platform

» 2008 Youngest European Mens Platform Champion in history

» 2008 7th Olympic Games Mens Platform Final

» 2009 World Series Silver

» 2009 Gold, Fort Lauderdale FINA Grand Prix

Look up “precocious talent” in the dictionary and you might just find this young man’s name there.

Spotted by a coach taking part in regular diving lessons, Thomas was pulled out and put into a competitive squad in September 2002. He entered his first competition at the National Novice Championships in April 2003. He won a silver medal in the 8/9 boys.

In September of the same year he went to an invitational meeting in Southampton and won gold on 1m, 3m and platform – that’s when it began . . . . .

In June 2004, he won the National Junior (under 18) Boys Platform title, at the age of 10 – the youngest ever winner of that event.

At the 2007 British Championships, Thomas finished second in the Mens Platform behind Olympic Silver medalist Peter Waterfield. He qualified for the World Championships, but as he was too young to compete, his place was given to the 3rd ranked diver.

At the end of 2007, Thomas was voted BBC Young Sports Person of the Year, following in the footsteps of Wayne Rooney, Theo Walcott and Andy Murray - what an accolade!

His phenomenal success at the start of the 2008 (when he was crowned the youngest ever British Champion, won Bronze at the World Cup in the Synchronised platform and finished 7th in the individual platform, qualifying himself for the 2008 Olympics), lead to Thomas becoming a bit of a media celebrity, with interviews on Richard & Judy, Chris Evans, GMTV and more.

However, not one to rest on his laurels, he returned from the World Cup and after answering all his media demands, went back to training at his usual 110%, in preparation for the European Championships.

It was to be his most triumphant performance to date. Spurred on by a disappointing 6th place in the synchronised platform the day before, Thomas showed grit and determination to become the youngest European Mens Platform Champion in history, ahead of the 2007 World Champion and the 2008 World Cup Champion.

After being confirmed on the Beijing Olympic Team, as the youngest member of Team GB, the Olympics provided Tom with plenty of mixed emotions and a rollercoaster ride! His 8th place in the final of the Mens Synchronised diving was a little disappointing after their bronze medal at the World Cup, but several days later he went on to leave far more experienced former Olympic & World Medalists in his wake, on his way to a superb 7th place in the Mens Platform Final.

After a year of travelling with the Senior Team, September finally gave Tom an opportunity to travel with his peers to the World Junior Championships in Germany. He picked up 2 silver medals behind the top ranked Chinese divers in both his favourite platform event and his less favoured 3m. An amazing achievement at the end of an astonishing year.

The start of 2009 saw Thomas resume business as normal. He retained his British title, qualified for the World Championships later in the year and set about preparing for the prestigious World Series, which he qualified for, courtesy of his top 8 finish in the Olympics.

Round 1 was in Doha, after drawing a tough semi with 2 Chinese, Tom was unlucky to miss out on a place in the final. On to China for round 2 and it was a different story, after knocking the Olympic Champion out and winning his Semi Final with a personal best score, Tom went on to finish 3rd in the final behind the two Chinese, with another personal best score, then most recently in Sheffield, Tom went one better again, with a silver and another personal best score.

It's been an unbelievable start to 2009 - 5 events, 4 personal bests!

Favourite thing to do when not diving

Go to caravan in Newquay (Cornwall) with my family

Sporting hero

Lance Armstrong, Alex Despatie (youngest ever Commonwealth

Champ at 13), Leon Taylor (British Olympic silver medalist)

Life ambition

To become a Blue Peter presenter!

Most embarrassing moment

My Dad dressing up as Elvis at EVERY diving party!!

Performances

11 Senior International medals

6 GB Junior International medals

26 Junior and Age Group National/British titles since 2004

2 British individual titles since 2008

PB Individual Mens Platform, 554.90

PB Mens Synchronised Platform, 446.07

PB Individual Mens 3m, 333.75

2009

1st, Fort Lauderdale FINA Grand Prix, 554.90 pb

2nd, Fort Lauderdale FINA Grand Prix, Synchro Platform, 423.48

2nd, World Series Round 3, Mens Platform, 540.85 pb

3rd, World Series Round 2, Mens Platform, 540.70 pb

1st, British Championships, Mens Platform, 517.55 pb

2008

1st, European Championships, Mens Platform, 491.96

2nd, Junior World Championships, Boys 14-15 years platform, 549.60

2nd, Junior World Championships, Boys 14-15 years 3m, 485.25

3rd, World Cup, Mens Synchronised Platform, 446.07

7th, World Cup, Mens Platform, 480.40

7th, Olympic Games, Mens Platform, 463.55

8th, Olympic Games, Mens Synchronised Platform, 408.48

3rd, Madrid FINA Diving Grand Prix, Mens Platform, 495.45

2nd, Madrid FINA Diving Grand Prix, Mens Synchronised Platform, 417.93

1st, British Championships, Mens Platform, 471.10

1st, British championships, Mens Synchronised Platform, 431.25

2007

1st, CAMO International, Mens Synchronised Platform, 440.10

2nd, GB vs Germany International, Mens Platform, 433.90

2nd, GB vs Germany International, Synchronised Mens Platform, 410.34

1st, ASA National Championships, Senior Platform, 444.20

(also Junior Champion)

1st, ASA National Championships, Junior 3m, 328.40

(2nd Senior)

1st, ASA National Mens Synchronised platform (with Callum Johnstone, Leeds), 388.38

1st, British Championships, Junior Platform, 450.50

2nd, British Championships, Senior Platform, 450.50

2nd, British Championships, Junior Platform

4th, Madrid Fina Diving Grand Prix, 419.70 (2nd prelim, 480.05)

10th, Canada Fina Diving Grand Prix, 395.95

2006

8th, Aachen Junior International, 14-15 3m, 403.60

1st, British Championships, Junior Platform, 399.05

3rd, British Championships, Senior Platform, 399.05

1st, British Championships, Junior 3m, 315.20

2nd, ASA National Championships, Junior Platform, 388.55

1st, ASA National Championships, Junior 3m, 285.45

1st, ASA Elite Junior Nationals, 12-13 yrs 1m, 308.05

1st, ASA Elite Junior Nationals, 12-13 yrs 3m, 367.50

1st, ASA Elite Junior Nationals, 12-13 yrs platform, 362.90

2005

1st, Australian Elite Junior Nationals, Boys 14-15 Platform, 418.98

2nd, Australian Elite Junior Nationals, Boys 14-15 3m, 474.09

2nd, Aachen Junior International, Boys 14-15 platform, 350.85

3rd, Aachen Junior International, Boys 14-15 3m, 367.45

1st, British Championships, Junior Platform, 332.61

1st, ASA National Championships, Junior 3m, 503.13 (full list)

3rd, ASA National Championships, Junior Platform, 500.79 (full list)

1st, ASA National Age Groups, 9-11 yrs 1m, 246.30

1st, ASA National Age Groups, 9-11 yrs 3m, 266.80

1st, ASA National Age Groups, 9-11 yrs platform, 210.80

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Thomas Daley