Tom Daley pays tribute to late father in speech: ‘He would be extremely proud’

Words: Alastair James; pictures: BBC

Tom Daley gave an emotional speech last night at the BBC Sports Personality of the Year Award ceremony, where he paid tribute to his late father. 

The 27-year-old gold Olympic medallist was up for the honour but came second to tennis sensation, Emma Raducanu. The other nominees this year were swimmer Adam Peaty, boxer Tyson Fury, Paralympian Sarah Storey, and footballer Raheem Sterling. 

Tom, who won his first gold medal at the Tokyo Olympics earlier this year, said his dad had always been his “biggest cheerleader”. 

“He would be extremely proud”

As a child, Tom dreamt of making it to the Olympics, and to have achieved that was a “dream come true,” the diver said. 

“Seeing how far I’ve come from that little kid with my dad, and he would take me to every training session, every competition he would wave his giant Union flag,” Tom went on. “I’m so sad that my dad didn’t get to see me win Olympic gold because I would like to think he would be extremely proud.”

Tom’s dad, Robert, died in 2011. 

On winning gold in Tokyo with his diving partner Matty Lee, the former Attitude cover star said it was “something I never thought was ever going to happen to me. I knew that I could do it, but it was just something that I was just almost ready to settle with the fact that I never going to do it.” 

Tom also talked about going into the Tokyo Games with a very different perspective from before after marrying Oscar-winning screenwriter, Dustin Lance Black, and becoming a father to their son, Robbie.

Sport is for everyone ❤

Tom Daley had this message after coming second in BBC Sports Personality of the Year 2021.#SPOTY | Watch on @bbciplayer

— BBC Sport (@BBCSport) December 20, 2021

“To be able to say that I am a gay man that was able to compete in the Olympic Games and feel comfortable in myself to be able to do that, and there’s so many people around the world that aren’t comfortable to be able to do that,” he continued.

“And there’s so many people that are growing up in countries that need our help and need our support to be able to be their true authentic selves and not worry about, like, who they are as a person and be able to just live their lives as sportspeople.

“And for me, I think there’s been so many inspiring people this year. Whether it’s people like Charlotte Worthington, I absolutely love her. Females in sport, Sky Brown, for little kids and for me and other LGBT sportspeople, I think it’s really important that we make sport as accessible as possible and inclusive for everyone and everyone has a space.”

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