Tom Daley branded ‘true warrior’ by husband after retirement announcement

Dustin Lance Black shared a heartfelt tribute to his ‘warrior’ husband Tom Daley after he announced his retirement from diving on Monday following the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.

Tom, 30, claimed a silver medal in the synchronized 10-metre platform with Noah Williams to complete his set of medals, following a gold in Tokyo and three other bronze medals.

He had originally left open the possibility of competing at a sixth Games in Los Angeles – where he lives – in 2028. But Britain’s most successful diver has now confirmed he retiring, 16 years after making his Olympic debut as a 14-year-old in Beijing.

Now his partner Dustin has shared a gallery of snaps of Tom, reflecting on his ‘magnificent journey’ as he ‘hung up his trunks’ for good.

The pair, who met in 2013 and tied the knot four years later, looked considerably younger in some photos together as they posed with Tom’s medals.

Dusting wrote: ‘It has been the honour of my life to be by your side on this magnificent journey, Tom. You are a shining example that true warriors can also have true hearts.

‘As you now hang up your trunks, I will deeply miss supporting your ‘impossible’ diving dreams in whatever small ways I could over the past 10+ years, and screaming like a mad man as you turned every single one of those dreams into reality.

‘I also feel certain you have a long list of new ‘impossible’ dreams, and I will be there by your side all the way, baby.

‘For now, I am going to look back with joy and love (and more than a few tears) at some old photos of the early days when I first had the tremendous good fortune to witness a warrior fight to achieve the ‘impossible.’

‘You did it, Tom. You did it all. I love you so much.’

Re-sharing a video of Tom getting emotional while discussing his retirement, Dustin penned: ‘I love this huge hearted warrior so much.

‘Oh sweet Tom. I will miss supporting your diving dreams in whatever small ways I could and screaming at the top of my lungs as you turned everyone of your dreams into reality. 

‘But I also feel certain you have a long list of new ‘impossible’ dreams and it will be my honour to keep cheering you on at every magnificent turn’. 

Dustin also shared a snap of the ‘first competition’ he attended to support Tom and thanked him for letting him be a ‘small part’ of his journey.

He added: ‘From one of the first competitions I ever got to attend. It will take a long while to sink in that this spectacular sporting journey of yours has found its ending.

‘But what an incredible ride it has been. Thank you for letting me be a small part of it. Truly the honour of a lifetime’. 

Following competing at the Olympics, Tom told Vogue: ‘It was emotional at the end, up there on the platform, knowing it was going to be my last competitive dive.

‘But I have to make the decision at some point, and it feels like the right time to call it a day.

‘I’ve spent my whole life doing this and being able to let go of it is going to be hard. It’s going to be a major adjustment.

‘I would love for people to remember me for being a person that persevered, who persisted and didn’t give up on his dream until he was able to achieve it.

‘To currently be Britain’s most decorated diver, I feel so incredibly proud. When I look back, I’m really, genuinely satisfied with what I’ve done.’

Daley, who has two children, stayed at the Olympics after his diving event to do punditry for Eurosport and now wants to pursue more TV work.

He also plans a career in fashion and is enrolling on a course at the Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising in Los Angeles to be able to learn how to sew.

‘I knit and I crochet, but sewing will just add a whole different level of knowledge as to how to construct things,’ added Daley.

‘I’ve actually designed a couple of pieces of underwear that I’m going to be launching, and then I’m also hoping to launch a swimwear project next year.’

Daley, who was overcome with emotion, also spoke with the BBC and said: ‘[It’s] Hard to talk about. I am (so proud of myself) It’s really hard to talk about. Have to hang it up at some time, but I’m very proud.

‘I wanna be with my family and I’m very excited to spend some time with them and feel normal for a couple of days. It’s just very overwhelming. I didn’t mean for it to be timed like this, but I feel very proud of my career.

‘Right now it’s obviously a lot and I’m really happy with how everything’s gone it’s just hard when you say good bye to your sport.

‘Lots of things to process but I think it’s the right time. This ye
ar felt like such a bonus. I got to compete in front of my kids and I got to be flag-bearer, so yeah – bucket list ticked off.

‘I like to think they’re (his family) very proud of me. I am happy, it’s just hard to talk when you have loved something so much.

‘Thank you! The support I’ve had from Great Britain has been so incredible and thank you to everyone who’s been there with me throughout all this. It’s the end of an era, I can look back through my 23 years and be very proud!’.

The 30-year-old, who first represented Great Britain at the tender age of 14 in Beijing, has been a cornerstone of the British diving team for nearly two decades.

A bronze medal at London 2012 ignited a nation’s love affair with the Plymouth-born diver.

Subsequent bronze medals in Rio and Tokyo, the latter alongside Matty Lee, showcased Daley’s versatility and determination. His crowning moment arrived in Tokyo, where he finally claimed Olympic gold.

As Daley steps away from competitive diving, he leaves behind a legacy of athletic excellence, courage, and inspiration.

During the Paris Games, Daley revealed how his six-year-old son Robbie inspired him to make a U-turn on his decision to retire.

He said: ‘It’s so special, this time last year deciding to come back and now to be here in Paris diving in front of my son who asked me to come back.

‘It completes the set, I now have one of every colour.’

The diving star explained that Robbie was mainly excited to to get his hands on a piece of the Eiffel Tower – a feature of every medal at the Paris Games.

He added: ‘He’s six years old now and I think he might remember some of this.

‘He’s excited to touch a bit of the Eiffel Tower.’

After Tokyo glory he moved to the US with his family and effectively retired from diving.

But he announced his return after a two-year break in 2023, following a trip to the Olympic museum.

‘I think I always had my mind set on five Olympic games,’ said Daley, ‘Phoenix, our youngest son, was born in Colorado Springs which I didn’t know at the time was where the Olympic and Paralympic city and training centre is and the museum.

‘And we went to the museum before Phoenix was born and at the end of the museum they had this video on what it means to be an Olympian.

‘I remember the video finishing and of course, I was there crying. Lance looked over and thought, ‘Oh, God. I know what this means’.

‘Robbie was like, ‘Papa, I want to see you dive in the Olympics’. And that was that.’