Tom Daley confirms retirement from diving: ‘It’s the right time to call it a day’
British diver Tom Daley has decided to step away from the sport following his success at the Paris Olympics, where he claimed a silver medal.
The 30-year-old, who achieved gold at Tokyo in 2021, shared that he had chosen to retire from his career while speaking with British Vogue. Daley, who also earned his fifth Olympic medal at the 10m synchro event in Paris, expressed, "It feels incredibly unreal. I was extremely nervous approaching this competition, aware that this would be my final Olympics."
"I felt a lot of stress and high hopes. I couldn't wait for it to be over. However, when I stepped outside and spotted my spouse (Dustin Lance Black), children (Robbie and Phoenix), along with my loved ones in the crowd, I realized that this was the very reason I pursued this opportunity."
At the end of the dive, I felt a lot of emotions on the platform. I knew it was my final competitive dive, and it was a difficult decision to make. However, I felt that it was the right moment to end my diving career. It's time to move on and close this chapter of my life.
Daley took part in five Olympic Games, starting at Beijing in 2008. He earned a gold and bronze medal in Tokyo, a silver in Paris, and bronze medals in London and Rio. In Tokyo, he won gold in the 10m synchronised event with Matty Lee. Despite initially retiring, he decided to come back to defend his title this year after his son Robbie encouraged him to return to diving.
Daley and his teammate Noah Williams won second place in the competition, coming in behind China two weeks ago.
Once Daley returned to London from Paris, he shared, "I am very proud to have competed in another Olympic Games. Taking a break from the sport after Tokyo, I wasn't sure if I would make it back into the team or qualify for Team GB. Winning a medal in front of my family was a big achievement for me."
"I will focus on spending additional time with my children, knitting, and growing my business to attract more individuals to the art of knitting. Stay tuned for updates on my progress."
