An emotional Tom Daley today delivered a fifth medal for Team GB – and became one of the nation’s greatest OIympians – cheered on by his husband and two sons in Paris.
The British diving star won silver in the 10m synchronized platform event with Noah Williams, who planted a kiss on his teammate’s cheek during the medal ceremony at the Aquatics Centre on the third day of the games.
The pair pulled off a succession of near-perfect dives to land second place, behind China’s Lian Junjie and Yang Hao who were absolutely outstanding and deserved to take the gold. Canada’s Rylan Wiens and Nathan Zsombor-Murray took bronze.
The crowd roared and the Team GB coaches leapt around as Daley and Williams pulled off a near perfect final dive.
And no-one was happier than Dustin Lance Black and their two boys Robert, five, and Phoenix Rose, one, who wore t-shirts emblazoned with Team Daley on the front and ‘that’s my papa’ on the back.
Robert, who was named after Tom’s late father, was also draped with a Union Flag during his dad’s fifth Olympics, the first coming in 2008 when he was just 14.
The silver medal is Tom’s fifth and Noah’s first. It came amid controversy after it emerged Mr Williams, 24, has an OnlyFans site where he promises ‘safe for work’ content to financially support his Olympic journey. He says fans can ‘chat to me personally’ on the adult platform.
British diving star Tom Daley won Olympic silver this morning at Paris 2024
He was competing in the 10m synchronized platform event with alongside Noah Williams, to win his fifth medal (pictured together)
Dustin Lance Black, husband of Great Britain’s Tom Daley, gives an enthusiastic wave with their sons
The boys wore t-shirts emblazoned with Team Daley on the front and ‘that’s my papa’ on the back
The pair pulled off a succession of near-perfect dives to land second place
The crowd roared as Daley and Williams pulled off a near perfect final dive. And the Team GB coaches leapt into each other’s in triumph
Keen knitter Tom made a Union Flag item for his youngest son yesterday
The little boys also came to wish Tom and diving partner Noah Williams good luck ahead of today’s event
Tom and Noah hugged each-other after their final dive which gave them their highest score of the event.
Union flags are dotted around the Olympic dive centre, which is close to the Stade de France in the north of Paris.
Still fresh-faced but now aged Daley, 30, is competing in his fifth Games.
He was only 14 years old when he made his debut at the 2008 Beijing Olympics
He won his first medal, a bronze at London 2012. He won a second bronze at Rio 2016.
And he went on to win gold and bronze at the Tokyo Games in 2021.
Tom had married American screenwriter Dustin Lance Black in 2017.
And after Tokyo he moved to the USA with their two sons and effectively retired from diving.
But he returned to the sport in 2023, after a two-year-break, and started competition with new dive partner Noah Williams.
The GB duo arrived at the Aquatics Centre in the French capital to rapturous applause and cheers for the 10m platform.
There were more cheers as they approached the high-diving board for their first dive before there was a deathly silence.
Tom Daley during the Men’s Synchronised 10m Platform Final, as he dived in front of his family
Great Britain’s Tom Daley and Noah Williams during the Men’s Synchronised 10m Platform Final
Debbie Daley, mother of Thomas Daley, Dustin Lance Black, husband of Thomas Daley, and their children are seen in attendance as they show their support ahead of the Men’s Synchronised 10m Platform
Fans show their support for Great Britain’s Tom Daley and Noah Williams at the Paris Olympics
Dustin Lance Black is pictured holding his son as he smiles and cheers on Team GB during the 10m Dive
Their first dive was dubbed a ‘classy opening’ by Leon Taylor commenting on the BBC, getting over the fifty-point mark with 53.40 and joining the leaderboard with the Chinese.
Williams had a slight wobble as he backed on to the board but it didn’t impact the dive.
Daley and Williams shared the silver medal position with Canada after round one.
On the second round of diving, the crowd could be heard saying, ‘Oooh’ with Daley and Williams’ stunning twisting dive.
They managed to achieve Silver’s position after the third round, narrowly beating the Canadians.
After the fourth round, China was a clear 13 points ahead with Team GB securing second, 16 points ahead of Canada.
The fifth round solidified their Silver position.
om Daley and Noah Williams of Great Britain celebrate winning the silver medal in the Men’s Diving Synchronised 10m Platform
Daley and Williams embrace after securing Silver. Next to them is Junjie Lian and Hao Jang from China
Great Britain’s Tom Daley with coach Jane Figueiredo. The coach could be seen cheering and smiling throughout the performance
Tom Daley and Noah Williams smile as they officially receive their silver medals
In the final round of diving, received huge rounds of applause from the crowds and even the BBC commentator Leon Taylor became hugely emotional.
BBC Sport journalist Matthew Henry reported that the international broadcasters gave Leon Taylor confused looks as he leapt out of his seat during Team GB’s performance.
Daley secured a silver medal to go with his three bronzes and one gold.
For Williams, it was his first-ever Olympic medal in his second Games appearance.
China secured their gold medal with a masterclass of diving.
The Chinese pair of Junjie Lian and Hao Jang are world champions and were favourites for the gold.
Before the dives today, Noah Williams described the Chinese team as being like robots, but he meant it as a massive compliment.
Daley used a rainbow-coloured flag to dry himself off between dives, as a nod to his same-sex husband Lance Dustin Lance Black.
And he calmly gave a little wave to his family – Lance the boys are believed to have been in the crowd – after his final dive.
His husband Dustin Lance Black and their two young sons visited Daley and his team-mate Noah yesterday for ‘one last hug’ before today’s event.
Tom knitted special toys for the boys to play with in the garden of what is believed to Team GB House.
Lance wrote on his Instagram: ‘Thanks to the @teamgb nearest and dearest team, the boys got to give PAPA and NOAH one last hug and diss for good luck tomorrow.
‘And Tom gave the boys something special he made to help us cheer him and Noah on.’
Lance and the boys also sent him a video message, saying ‘We Love You.’
Tom wrote on Instagram: ‘My family sent me the sweetest message and just sums up exactly why I came back!’
The Paris 2024 silver, brings Daley Olympic medals total to five – one gold, one silver and three bronze.
He also has four Commonwealth Games titles, four World Championship titles and five European Championship titles.
Tom Daley and Noah Williams on top of the dive board. Williams previously referred to the Chinese team as ‘robots’
Tom Daley and Noah Williams as they dive into the swimming pool. They managed to win Silver for Great Britain
It comes after British diving star Tom Daley has gave a touching interview about his career.
He was only 14 years old when he made his debut at the 2008 Beijing Olympics.
Now 16 years later, Daley, aged 30, will return for his fifth Games in Paris, competing alongside Noah Williams in the men’s synchro at 10am.
Speaking to BBC Sport, he reflected on his career and personal life including the death of his father and becoming a father himself.
Daley won his first gold at the Tokyo Games in 2021. Afterwards, he moved to the US with his family and effectively retired from diving.
Great Britain’s Tom Daley ahead of the Men’s Synchronised 10m Platform Final at the Aquatics Centre on the third day of the 2024 Paris Olympic Games
Tom Daley was only 14 years old when he made his debut at the 2008 Beijing Olympics
Daley won his first gold at the Tokyo Games in 2021. Afterwards, he moved to the US with his family and effectively retired from diving
Tom Daley made his debut at the 2008 Olympics in Beijing (pictured) when he was just 14
But he announced his return after a two-year break in 2023, following a trip to the Olympic museum.
‘I think I always had my mind set on five Olympic games,’ said Daley, ‘Phoenix, our youngest son, was born in Colorado Springs which I didn’t know at the time was where the Olympic and Paralympic city and training centre is and the museum.
‘And we went to the museum before Phoenix was born and at the end of the museum they had this video on what it means to be an Olympian.
‘I remember the video finishing and of course, I was there crying.
‘Lance looked over and thought, ‘Oh, god. I know what this means’.
‘Robbie was like, ‘Papa, I want to see you dive in the Olympics’. And that was that.’
Daley grew up in the media spotlight from a young age, winning gold at the European Championships as a 13-year-old in 2008, finishing seventh in the individual event at the Olympics, aged 14, and then coming out as gay in 2013, shortly after winning his first medal at the London Games.
Reflecting on his career, Daley said he felt like a ‘tortured soul’ and his Olympic ambitions were a way to disguise feeling as though he didn’t fit in
A young and shy Tom Daley is greeted outside the school gates by a BBC camera crew
Old footage shows a young, shy, Daley being greeted by a BBC camera crew outside the school gates.
He told the crew that his ambition was to win gold at the Olympics. Looking back, the adult Daley commented: ‘Who gave that kid the audacity to have dreams that big?’
Reflecting on his career, Daley said he felt like a ‘tortured soul’ and his Olympic ambitions were a way to disguise feeling as though he didn’t fit in.
He said: ‘As a kid growing up, feeling different and feeling like I didn’t quite fit in, I always felt like I had to overachieve to disguise the part of me that I always thought was considered wrong.
‘I know how I felt in that period of time and it was like a very tortured soul.
During his early career, Daley was supported by his father, Rob (pictured), who was diagnosed with a brain tumour and died in 2011
It will be the first Olympics in front of a crowd since Rio 2016 as the Tokyo Games took place in empty stadiums due to COVID lockdowns
‘I struggled with all kinds of different things when it came to going away from home and being away like from my parents, going to unfamiliar territory.
‘I was absolutely awful at staying away from home. I used to cry and never want to stay overnight without my parents.’
During his early career, Daley was supported by his father, Rob, who was diagnosed with a brain tumour and died in 2011, 14 months before the London Olympics.
‘My dad was hugely dedicated to all of his kids, but in particular around my time,’ Daley said.
‘There was nothing that he wouldn’t do if it was going to help either make me feel better in training and give me a better opportunity to be able to go and compete.
‘He was there for every competition and every training session, no matter what it was.
‘To know how much he sacrificed is very special.
‘I hope that he never regretted spending that time with me, travelling the world and getting to see those competitions.
‘Now, as a parent, I feel like I have to live by his example on that as well. I so wish that he got to see me win an Olympic medal.’
Daley won bronze at London 2012 and in Rio four years later.
In 2018 he and his husband Dustin Lance Black announced the birth of their son Robbie, who was named after Daley’s father.
Their second son Phoenix was born in 2023.
Daley said: ‘Robbie likes coming to training sessions with me sometimes on a Saturday.
‘He jumped off the 3m (diving board) when he was four and he’s been really into the ‘having fun’ side of it.
‘But if I try to say, ‘oh, next time just try to get your legs together or point your toes’, he’s like, ‘Papa, I know how to do it…’
‘He’ll tell me what I need to do.’
The British diving star said that his main ambition now is to proudly dive in front of his husband and children
Tom Daley and Helen Glover, Flagbearers of Team Great Britain pose during the opening ceremony of the Olympic Games Paris 2024
Tom Daley knitting as he watches the Women’s Synchronised 3m Springboard Final at the Aquatics Centre
The British diving star said that his main ambition now is to proudly dive in front of his husband and children.
It will be the first Olympics in front of a crowd since Rio 2016 as the Tokyo Games took place in empty stadiums due to COVID lockdowns.
Daley said: ‘Who knows what’s going to happen in these Games but I know I’ve got my Olympic gold medal.
‘For me, this time around, my Olympic gold medals will be standing on the diving board, looking to my side and seeing my husband, my kids, my mum, my friends, family, aunts, uncles.
‘There’s a lot of people coming to watch. To see them and be able to dive in front of that again will be extremely special.
‘I’m so excited to see my little kids’ faces when I am stood on that diving board. That’s why I’ve come back this year – it’s for them.
‘Every time I go to bed I have these moments of dreams where I imagine myself standing for my last dive and just like looking to the side and just thinking, ‘oh my gosh, this is it’.
‘This was why I came back this year.’
