Tom Daley shares sacrifices husband made so he could compete in Olympics

Katie Archer
Updated

Watch Tom Daley share sacrifices husband made so he could compete in Olympics

Tom Daley has praised the "incredible" sacrifices his husband made in sidelining his own career so that the diver could compete at a fifth Olympic Games.

Daley's husband Dustin Lance Black and their children Robbie and Phoenix were cheering on his silver medal win in Paris but he has admitted his success was only possible because of the selfless support of his family.

Speaking to This Morning, Daley also opened up on the effect his late father had on his career and refused to rule out a sixth Olympic appearance at LA 2028.

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - MARCH 03: Dustin Lance Black (L) and Tom Daley pose at the PFLAG 50th Anniversary Gala at The New York Marriott Marquis on March 3, 2023 in New York City. (Photo by Bruce Glikas/WireImage)
Dustin Lance Black made huge sacrifices to support husband Tom Daley's Olympic dream. (WireImage) (Bruce Glikas via Getty Images)

Daley has racked up an incredible fifth Olympic Games at Paris 2024, winning silver in the men's synchronised 10m platform diving alongside partner Noah Williams.

But the Team GB diver and Paris flag bearer has admitted that behind his success was a huge amount of sacrifice from his husband, Dustin Lance Black, who put his own acting career on hold to support another Olympic dream.

PARIS, FRANCE - JULY 29: Tom Daley of Great Britain reacts in shock after a kiss from team-mate Noah Williams as the pair present their silver medals after the Men’s Synchronised 10m Final on day three of the Olympic Games Paris 2024 at Aquatics Centre on July 29, 2024 in Paris, France. (Photo by Patrick Khachfe/Getty Images)
Tom Daley and Noah Williams won silver at Paris 2024. (Getty Images) (Patrick Khachfe via Getty Images)

Daley spoke to This Morning on Thursday, sharing the moment that Black had realised he was about to take on another medal campaign.

He said: "We were in the Olympic and Paralympic museum in Colorado Springs and at the end of it there was this inspirational video about what it means to be an Olympian. I was crying, my husband Lance turns to me and is like, 'oh no, I know what this means'/ Robbie was like, 'what's wrong Papa?' I said, 'I miss diving, I miss the sport', and Robbie said, 'I want to see you dive Papa at the next Olympics' and that was it."

Praising his husband's support of his dream, he said: "It is so incredibly tough and I think any parents that are both working will be able to confirm this - it is really hard to be able to have two working parents and have lots of time for your kids. My husband has been so incredibly supportive, because I thought I was done after Tokyo and then two years later I'm like, I want to go back.

Synchronized Diving: 2024 Summer Olympics: Great Britain Thomas Daley's husband Dustin Lance Black looks on and cheers during the Men's 10m Synchronized Diving final at the Aquatics Centre. Paris, France 7/29/2024 CREDIT: Simon Bruty (Photo by Simon Bruty/Sports Illustrated via Getty Images) (Set Number: X164558 TK1)
Dustin Lance Black has been cheering on Tom Daley with their children Robbie and Phoenix. (Sports Illustrated via Getty Images) (Simon Bruty via Getty Images)

"He has been incredible with putting his career to the side to enable me to have the time to train, have the time to compete and do all the training camps. I think it's definitely going to be my turn a little bit now.

"You don't realise how many people are supporting you to be able to achieve your dreams. They are really the unsung heroes behind Olympians."

Tom Daley has revealed the sacrifices his husband made so he could compete in Olympics.
Tom Daley has revealed the sacrifices his husband made so he could compete in Olympics. (ITV screengrab) (ITV/This Morning)

But Black's role as support team might not be done just yet, as Daley refused to rule out a sixth Olympics at LA in 2028.

He laughed: "I'll be 34 then, I don't know if I'll still be able to get out of bed and carry on diving, but you never know, I thought I was done after the last one and here I am. Robbie's already cashed in his token, but maybe Phoenix will want to cash in a token too."

He added: "We'll see, no big decisions yet."

Olympics - Diving - Tom Daley Press Day - Central Park Pools
Tom Daley with his mum Debbie and late dad Robert. (PA/Alamy) (David Davies, PA Images)

Daley has been in the public eye as a diver since he was just 13 but a few days after his 17th birthday he tragically lost his father Robert to a brain tumour.

Looking back on how his father's support had affected his career, he said: "My dad was my biggest cheerleader, I always knew exactly where he was sitting in the crowd with his massive flag that he would wave.

"I feel like everything happens for a reason in a weird way, but my dad did get to see me compete in my first Olympics in 2008 and that was an outside chance that I would even qualify. He also got to see me win my first world title in 2009 when I was 15 and I do wonder, would I have ever won that if he would still be around."

He added: "I hope that he would be incredibly proud of the things I've achieved since then. I went to a sports day hall when I was about 10 years old and I said on that stage that I would go to five Olympic Games and win an Olympic gold medal for Team GB. He was in the audience then and I feel like he's helped me and guided me along that way as well."

This Morning airs on ITV1 at 10am on weekdays.

This article originally appeared on Yahoo TV UK at https://uk.news.yahoo.com/tom-daley-husband-olympic-sacrifices-103613220.html

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