WORDS OF WISDOM
Best advice I was given
Have a sense of perspective
— take a step back and
don’t get so caught up in
your problemsAdvice I’d give
Avoid fixating on negativity
because there’s no point in
wasting your energyWhat I wish I’d known
Pay attention to the details
and be kind to yourself if
you make mistakesAMBER BRACKEN / NEW YORK TIMES / REDUX / EYEVINED
aley was born in
Plymouth in 1994. He
started diving at the age
of seven and represented
Team GB at the Beijing
Olympics in 2008, aged
only 14. He has since won four
Olympic medals, including
gold in the synchronised
men’s ten-metre platform
event at Tokyo 2020. He
lives in London with his
screenwriter/producer
husband, Dustin Lance Black,
and their son, Robbie, who
turns four this month.I’ve always been an early riser
because of my training. I like to
lay out everything I’m going to
need in the morning the night
before, even down to my mug
under the coffee machine.
These days I get up around
6.15am to give me a head start
before Robbie wakes up at 7am.
It gives me time to myself to
have my first black coffee of the
day and watch the news while
doing some knitting.
Lance encouraged me to take
up knitting two years ago, so
I’d have something to do in
between dives. It helps me zone
out distractions. I was terrible at
first, but I’m the type of person
who, if I start something, I want
to really try and do the best I
can. I’ve learnt more through
watching YouTube videos and
have just finished a jumper.
I never thought it’d become
such a focus of news coverage
— me up in the stands knitting!
Once Robbie’s awake I make
him our go-to breakfast of
scrambled eggs on a bagel,
which we both love, and then
take him off to nursery.
My routine after breakfast is
very different this year, as I’m
taking a year out of diving.Normally I’d head straight over
to the Olympic Park for training,
involving a couple of hours of
gymnastics, conditioning
exercises, and in the pool. I’d
have to have regular protein
snacks within 20 minutes of
finishing a training session to
help my muscles repair.
I do miss the structure and
routine of knowing where
and when I’m going to be
during training, so it’s taking a
little adjusting to. Full-time
training is all I’ve known for
more than 15 years. Now, at
some point in the day, I’ll try
my best to throw in a workout,
even if it’s just going to a local
group spin class. I miss the
social element of being around
other people.I tend to have lunch around
12.30pm and love Asian cooking,
so a quick fried rice is a favourite.
If Robbie’s not at nursery the
one big thing I like to do with
him is bake. I always remember
baking Victoria sponges with
my grandma and it’s a tradition
I want to continue. Robbie and
I made lemon curd cupcakes for
the first time for Mother’s Day
in March. I also like making
custard from scratch, but you
have to watch it carefully!
Both Lance’s work as a writer
and producer and my diving
schedule have taken us all over
the place, so making time for
each other can be very difficult.
A couple of months ago was
the first time we’d ever had a
babysitter for Robbie so that
we could go out for dinner
together. We always make sure
we’re there for the first
babysitting hour and put
Robbie to bed. We try to have a
“date night” once a week now,
but we’re really bad at sticking
to it. Sometimes you just get so
tired by the end of the week,
you can’t be bothered going out.
Robbie is such a chatterbox
now. At weekends we take him
to swimming lessons and we’ll
go to a market and play in the
park. Or if the weather is a bit
meh we’ll head to the Tate.
I realise how fortunate I am to
have this year off — even though
I’ve got TV projects in the work.
I just want to maximise time
with family. Add to our brood?
We’ve got a fish, but we’re away
too much to get a dog or cat.
Lance and I make a point of
eating dinner with Robbie every
night we possibly can — so it’s
an early dinner at 5.30pm, some
playtime before giving him a
bath and he’s in bed by 7pm.
Then Lance and I will watch
TV while I sit and knit. It’s my
way of winding down. I like my
sleep, so I head to bed around
9.30pm and am asleep by 10pm,
so I can get at least eight hours.
Before lights out Lance and I
always ask each other what the
best and worst part of today
was, which is a nice way to
round out the day n
Interview by Sarah Ewing.
Tom Daley is an ambassador
for British Lion eggs,
egginfo.co.ukA LIFE IN THE DAY
Tom Daley
The Olympic and world champion diver, 28
66 • The Sunday Times Magazine*