British diver Tom Daley has officially secured his spot on Team GB’s diving team for the upcoming Paris Olympics, marking his fifth Olympic appearance.
After taking a hiatus from the sport following his gold medal win at the previous Olympics, Daley is set to make his comeback alongside teammate Noah Williams in the 10m synchronized platform event. Their partnership resulted in a silver medal at the World Championships following Daley’s return to competition in December last year.
Reflecting on Daley’s remarkable return, Williams acknowledged his unparalleled talent, stating, “No one else in the world would take two years out and be as good as he is.”
Initially presumed to retire during his time off, Daley’s decision to return to diving was influenced by his son Robbie’s desire to witness his father compete in the Olympic Games.
The fifth for Daley
His comeback started at the British National Diving Cup last December. Earlier this year, he and Williams won the world silver, guaranteeing Great Britain’s place in the 10m synchronized event in Paris. The pair also won gold at the World Cup event in Berlin last March.
Later this month, Williams will take the flight to the States, where he will train with Daley for two weeks in order to get the two of them tuned in before the Olympic games.
On the other hand, in the women’s 10m platform synchronized event, Team GB has also confirmed world bronze medallists Lois Toulson and Andrea Spendolini-Sirieix, the daughter of TV presenter Fred Sirieix, while Jack Laugher and Anthony Harding will compete in the men’s 3m springboard event, which Laugher won gold in with Chris Mears in Rio in 2016.
In the women’s 3m springboard event, Yasmin Harper and Scarlett Mew-Jensen, who took home silver and bronze respectively at the 2023 world championships, will compete together.
Moreover, following the Aquatics GB Diving Championships, which are held in Birmingham from May 23–26, the British competitors for the individual events in Paris will soon be announced.
Cover Photo: IG
Source: BBC