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‘Incredible day of dreams coming true’: Tom Daley’s husband after diver’s silver

‘Incredible day of dreams coming true’: Tom Daley’s husband after diver’s silver
Dustin Lance Black cheered on his husband, Tom Daley, with their two children (Mike Egerton/PA)
PA Wire/PA Images - Mike Egerton

Tom Daley’s husband has congratulated him on winning a complete set of Olympic medals after the diving star claimed silver on an “incredible day of dreams coming true”.

Daley and his teammate Noah Williams came second behind China in the men’s synchronised 10m dive on Monday but were all smiles after the event – with Williams pecking his teammate on the cheek as the pair held up their silver gongs.

Paris is Daley’s fifth games, with the diver having also won a gold and three bronzes over his Olympic career.

Tom Daley and Noah Williams with their silver medalsTom Daley and Noah Williams won silver on Monday (Peter Byrne/PA)PA Wire/PA Images - Peter Byrne

His husband, US screenwriter Dustin Lance Black, watched Daley win silver while in the stands of the Aquatics Centre with their two young sons.

In a story on Instagram, Mr Black reposted a video of him and his children cheering for Daley, as the athlete stood on the podium, and wrote: “An incredible day of dreams coming true.

“So many tears of joy!

“You have a complete set of medals now, my love!”

Ahead of the games, Mr Black shared a post on the same social media site in which he said their eldest son Robbie told his parents over a year ago how he wished he could watch his “papa” dive in the Olympics in person.

He said in the post: “It’s been a little over 16 months since our eldest son, Robbie, shared with Tom that he wished he could watch his Papa dive in the Olympics in person.

“Yesterday Tom kissed our boys goodbye before entering the Paris 2024 Olympic Village.

“Today I took our boys to see the Eiffel Tower in this, one of my favourite cities in the world.

“We are so proud of Tom for all of the sacrifices and incredibly hard work he’s put in to get to his 5th Olympics and to make Robbie’s wish come true!”

Daley reflected on how “special” it was to compete in front of his family after his son asked to see him dive.

He told the BBC: “This time last year deciding to come back, not knowing whether I would make the synchro team let alone qualify for a spot for the Olympics, and now to be here in Paris diving in front of my son, who’s just right there, who actually asked me to come back, is just so special.”

He added: “My husband has been there for me for this whole year and he has really taken the reins with the kids when I’ve had to travel and stuff and it’s just so special that we get to enjoy this moment together.”

I know both Dave (Williams' late coach) and my dad would be very proud to see us going in and doing a really, really solid performance there for a silver medal

Tom Daley

Williams grew emotional and asked Daley to speak for him when he was asked about what the silver medal means to him after his coach died following the Tokyo games.

Daley told the broadcaster: “I’ve never seen Noah cry in my whole life, and I know how much this has meant to him and to (his former coach) Dave.

“Dave has been such a key part in Noah’s diving success and career and it’s very sad that he’s not here to be able to see this, but I know both Dave and my dad would be very proud to see us going in and doing a really, really solid performance there for a silver medal.”

Daley’s father died in May 2011 after being diagnosed with a brain tumour five years earlier.

It is the second diving medal of the Paris Games for Team GB following a bronze for Scarlett Mew Jensen and Yasmin Harper on Saturday.

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