Tom’s title bid turns into a damp squib
TOM DALEY held his head in his hands in disbelief last night after missing out on Olympic glory.
The 22-year-old had been a medal favourite in the 10m men’s platform diving event after cruising through the qualifying round.
But Daley, the reigning European champion, produced two poorscoring dives that saw him finish last in the semi-final.
After failing in his bid for a second Rio medal, he looked distraught and was consoled by his team-mates and coaches.
Daley said: ‘I felt good but my mind and body weren’t connecting.
‘I knew I had a shot on the last dive and I gave it my all but it just didn’t happen today. But I am happy. In 2012 I came away with bronze and here I won bronze. I just really wanted that gold medal but there is always another four years.
‘Tokyo is in my sights even more than ever right now.’
Daley had been in ebullient mood after winning bronze in the 10m synchronised diving with Daniel Goodfellow earlier in the Games.
The diver, from Plymouth, needed to score 102 with his last attempt to get through to the final but could only score a disappointing 50.40. It meant he came 18th out of 18 divers with 403.25 – a poor contrast to the personal best of 571.85 he scored in the preliminaries. In London four years ago, Daley won the bronze in the individual event.
Daley’s fiance – US film-maker Dustin Lance Black, 42 – was in the crowd alongside Daley’s mother Debbie yesterday. They both looked concerned as Tom crumbled under the pressure.
He later tweeted: ‘We are all so proud of all you’ve achieved here in Rio, Tom Daley.
‘We fight again another day! Onward!’