The Conversation (0)
Greg Evans
Jul 26, 2021
At the fourth time of asking, British diver Tom Daley has finally won an Olympic gold medal alongside Matty Lee in the synchronised 10 metre platform event in Tokyo.
The 27-year-old, who had twice won bronze at the two previous Olympic games, finished with Lee on 471.81 points thanks to a series of faultless dives that left them 1.23 points ahead of an impressive Chinese duo and the Russian Olympic Committee in third.
"YEESSSSSSSSSSS!!!" Is that gold secured for Tom Daley and Matty Lee? Watch on @BBCOne and online… https://t.co/vQWJStHyse— BBC Sport (@BBC Sport) 1627282758
The moment Tom Daley and Matty Lee realised they had won Olympic gold! 🥇🇬🇧 https://t.co/QL917cmMqO #bbcolympics… https://t.co/EHwkBy9IVY— BBC Sport (@BBC Sport) 1627283192
The British duo never dropped out of the top two and were given a distinct advantage after China scored poorly on their fourth dive, leaving the path to victory wide open for Daley and Lee.
It marks an incredible journey for Daley, who competed at his first Olympics in 2008 when he was just 14-years-old and has been in the public eye ever since.
Daley’s husband, American screenwriter Dustin Lance Black was understandably overcome with emotion.
No words! So so many tears! @TomDaley1994 you're an OLYMPIC CHAMPION! Congratulations Tom and @MattyLee!— Dustin Lance Black (@Dustin Lance Black) 1627283566
The popularity of Daley saw an outpouring of support and jubilation for his and Lee’s win (who is competing in his first games), with many calling it thoroughly deserved.
Ah, how good is that for @TomDaley1994?! Rarely has an Olympic Gold been more deserved.— Andy Burnham (@Andy Burnham) 1627282911
Huge respect for Tom Daley… FOUR Olympic Games and FINALLY Gold. The message in the journey alone. And then this f… https://t.co/B5FOnYN8o6— 🇬🇭🇬🇭Jeanette Kwakye🇬🇭🇬🇭 (@🇬🇭🇬🇭Jeanette Kwakye🇬🇭🇬🇭) 1627283200
Tom Daley is Olympic champion at his fourth Games. Dazzling display here with Matty Lee. From 14-year old Boy Wonde… https://t.co/Lw1Za7WkKb— Alex Spink (@Alex Spink) 1627282942
I can’t get over what @TomDaley1994 has achieved. After we followed him as that fragile child back in Beijing. His… https://t.co/Zhu4SOm6Jo— Harry Wallop (@Harry Wallop) 1627283133
What an incredible moment as @TomDaley1994 and @mattydiver find out they have won gold. #TeamGB https://t.co/CrQDteZFwO— David Lammy (@David Lammy) 1627283875
YES!!! @TomDaley1994 FINALLY HAS HIS OLYMPIC GOLD MEDAL!!! Him and @mattydiver have just finished first in the Me… https://t.co/4cQGtKmtBL— Sam Quek (@Sam Quek) 1627282730
Tom Daley was 14 at the 2008 Olympics. He took bronze in London (2012) and Rio (2016). At 27, and 13 years on from… https://t.co/bAyJ7vtnF3— Paul Hayward (@Paul Hayward) 1627282877
After all the highs, lows & a “rollercoaster” career TOM DALEY IS FINALLY AN OLYMPIC CHAMPION! He & Matty Lee clai… https://t.co/9CpsgUzT01— Nick Hope - the athlete’s journalist 👨💻🏊🏻♂️ (@Nick Hope - the athlete’s journalist 👨💻🏊🏻♂️) 1627282715
‘Yes, Tom’ was soon trending on Twitter
YES TOM & MATTY!!! All the feels! #TeamGB— Zoe Ball (@Zoe Ball) 1627282927
YES !!! TOM DALEY & MATTY LEE! Gold medalists and what a dive to win it. #gold https://t.co/kBFy5kXxHJ— beth_morton (@beth_morton) 1627282934
Yes Tom!!!! 👊🏻 @TomDaley1994 🥇@SportsAid @SportsAidEast https://t.co/YFxMfYsYgW— Mark Ormerod (@Mark Ormerod) 1627284131
Yes Tom get in! Well done Matty Lee and Tom Daley. Fantastic achievement after so long. 🥇🥇— Jason Tennant 🐝 (@Jason Tennant 🐝) 1627285136
SECOND GOLD IN THE POOL!!! YES TOM & MATTY!!! #GBR 🥇— Laura Slater (@Laura Slater) 1627282804
Even the official Olympics account couldn’t resist celebrating.
How it started: How it’s going: https://t.co/DdeNVoZy0b— Olympics (@Olympics) 1627284836
Here is a remarkable picture that Andy Burnham, the mayor of Greater Manchester, shared of a very young Daley meeting then prime minister Gordon Brown ahead of Beijing 2008.
Can’t let today go by without posting this picture. This was 13 years ago in the run-up to Beijing. I’ve been hop… https://t.co/wAYTYeyRAb— Andy Burnham (@Andy Burnham) 1627285602
After his win, Daley gave an emotional and poignant speech about the tribulations he has been through during his career: “I am a gay man and also an Olympic champion. And I feel very empowered by that because when I was younger I felt I was never going to achieve anything because of who I was.”
Daley has a chance to win further gold at this Olympics when he competes in the individual 10m platform events that take place on August 6th and 7th.
Daley and Lee’s gold followed Adam Peaty defended his breaststroke title in the pool. This was followed by 21-year-old Tom Pidcock who won gold in the men’s cross-country mountain bike event, making it a very good Monday for Team GB in Japan.
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