Tom Daley: ‘I have blocked so many traumatic parts of my childhood’

From the moment Tom Daley made history by becoming the youngest competitor in the UK at the Olympics in Beijing 2008, we as a nation had just received an open book like what he was.

If it slides from a 10m diving board at a speed of up to 33MPH not enough to intimidate, Tom must bear a great supervision for years, including when he comes out in 2013, and when he suffered a heartbreaking father when he was 17 years old.

Talk with Metro Ahead of the release of the new Discovery Plus Discovery Plus film – entitled 1.6 Seconds, referring to the time needed by divers to crash into water from a 10m board – Celebrity traiter star shows all again.

In a long documentary feature, Tom highlighted how he could never grieve over the death of his father and vice versa tampering the trauma to focus on his diving career.

The struggle, in addition to some of the shocking lowest positions in a career that made him get five Olympic medals, establishing in and out of a very inspiring diving journey.

But, talking to me from inside a luxury hotel in London while wearing a neat knitting host, Tom shared how it felt like watching records that had never been seen before as a child with his father.

“In the documentary I was sitting in a room where I was interviewed for about seven hours talking about my father and then saw my photos and him when I was very young as a baby, it really made me,” said Tom.

‘There are so many parts of my childhood and life that – because it is quite difficult to grow – you eventually prevent so many traumatic things.

‘You like to think of all the amazing things you have to do and the time -when you have a pleasant you have with your friends and your family, so revive some parts that are more difficult in my challenging life.’

In May 2011, Tom’s father, Robert Daley, died at the age of 40 after suffering from brain cancer.

At that time, Tom who was 17 years old paid tribute to his father in a statement posted on social media, wrote: ‘If I could be half a father, my father was for me then it would be my best achievement! I love you!’

Throughout his initial diving career, Robert was a constant presence in his competition, even at the point when he removed his brain tumor.

In one very painful moment in the documentary, Tom told how his father pushed back his two -week brain operation just to make sure he could be in a diving tournament for Tom.

During the interview with MetroThe Diving Great explains that he is ‘far more vulnerable’ in his new documentary film than usual.

“I have seen a documentary many times with different pieces, but this will be the first time I have seen it with my mother and my grandmother and my friends, so it will be quite emotional,” he said.

The decision to make a documentary came at a very important time in his life – right before he decided that he would return to the Olympics to compete for the last time in Paris 2024.

“It feels like it’s time to do a career moment of life,” he said.

“But I also feel very fortunate to have a lot of records that have been filmed by my father and I saw it for the first time.”

The father of two children shared how much his own children were to witness the relationship he had with his father, and to see how their own father had achieved in his career.

“That’s something that I am very grateful for,” he said. “My children will be able to look back and maybe one day see the things I did.”

Looking back at his childhood, Tom admitted that there were certain things he might miss, because he had no ‘normal’ care.

‘But I also got the chance to see and do so many cool things that many of my friends have no chance to do it. So I think there must be a balance there, ‘he added.

Tom continued: ‘I don’t need to regret whatever I do or sacrifice, because in the end from the age of nine or 10 years, I said that I want to win the Olympic gold medal. Yes, there are things that I have to sacrifice, but in the end, I got there. So when that happens, it’s useful. ‘

Throughout a shiny career, Tom has won five Olympic medals, including one gold, one silver and three bronze, making it the most decorated British diver.

He also has many world gold medals, the Commonwealth and European Championship, and became world champion at the age of 13.

In addition to his diving talent, Tom has also made a name for himself in the knitted world in recent years.

This means I can’t end the interview without asking Tom about his own perfect Jumper knitted, and also whether he has a big project.

On top of this newly starring in the new game of Wool Channel 4, Tom revealed that he has the secret of naughty knitted list ‘for celebrities, and he has given cardigans to people like Sharon Stone, Cynthia Eo and Ariana Grande.

Does this make me very jealous that I might never receive knitted jumpers from Tom? Of course, yes.

Learning Tom’s struggle not only in the pool, but also when he navigating out as gay when he has a world in his feet, all of the above take into account the death of his father, a bit simple, emphasizing life.

1.6 seconds are available to watch on Discovery Plus starting June 1.

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