Tom Daley has finally achieved his Olympic dream of winning a gold medal after he and his diving partner Matty Lee triumphed in the men’s synchronised 10-metre diving competition in Tokyo.
The pair were overcome with emotion after they topped the leaderboard in the nail-biting final, beating China’s Yuan Cao and Alsen Chen in the event on Monday morning.
The British pair’s total score of 471.81 left the Chinese pair with too much to do and when their tally of 470.58 appeared on the giant screen, Tom, Matty, their coaches and team-mates could not hide their emotions.
The moment Tom Daley and Matty Lee realised they had won Olympic gold! 🥇🇬🇧https://t.co/QL917cmMqO#bbcolympics#tokyo2020pic.twitter.com/UKbWnG4ZOe
— BBC Sport (@BBCSport) July 26, 2021
#TeamGB have won their second gold medal of #Tokyo2020!
🇬🇧🥇 After four Olympic Games, it's Tom Daley first ever gold – it's Matty Lee's first gold at the first time of asking.
A sublime display 👏#bbcolympics#tokyo2020
— BBC Sport (@BBCSport) July 26, 2021
An #Olympics#gold medal.
It's been a long time coming! #Tokyo2020#UnitedByEmotionCongratulations @TomDaley1994pic.twitter.com/2UOQC8M83o
— #Tokyo2020 (@Tokyo2020) July 26, 2021
13 years
4 Olympics
1 gold medalThis photo is everything ❤#bbcolympics#tokyo2020
— BBC Sport (@BBCSport) July 26, 2021
Prior to the Tokyo Games, Tom said he wanted to continue diving until he won an Olympic gold. He can now add that to the bronze medals he won at the last two Olympics.
He’s now the first British diver ever to win three Olympic medals. It is Matty Lee’s first Olympic games and he has won gold.
Tom and Matty weren’t the only ones overcome with emotion at their win. Tom’s husband, Dustin Lance Black tweeted that there were “so so many tears”.
No words! So so many tears! @TomDaley1994 you're an OLYMPIC CHAMPION! Congratulations Tom and @MattyLee!
— Dustin Lance Black (@DLanceBlack) July 26, 2021
Many others, including plenty of famous names, were quick to congratulate the pair on their victory…
Huge ❤️ love for @TomDaley1994 and @mattydiver – first interviewed boy Tom in his bedroom (he showed me his lucky monkey) at the family home in Plymouth in 2008 and have been desperate for him to have this 🥇 moment ever since. What a man. 🙌
— Gabby Logan (@GabbyLogan) July 26, 2021
Courage doesn't always roar. Sometimes courage is the quiet voice at the end of the day saying 'I will try again tomorrow.’
Tom Daley. Olympic Gold Medalist. Dad. Legend.
@TomDaley1994 #legend 🌈 pic.twitter.com/JxPK4wQHfC
— Robert Rinder MBE (@RobbieRinder) July 26, 2021
WHAT A MORNING#ManicMonday#Olympics
— Dan Walker (@mrdanwalker) July 26, 2021
Huge respect for Tom Daley… FOUR Olympic Games and FINALLY Gold.
The message in the journey alone. And then this for Matty and his FIRST time at the games…? It’s hard to give this context. WoW🤩— Jeanette Kwakye (@JNETTEKWAKYE) July 26, 2021
YES!!! @TomDaley1994 FINALLY HAS HIS OLYMPIC GOLD MEDAL!!!
Him and @mattydiver have just finished first in the Men’s 10m Synchronised Diving!!
OLYMPIC CHAMPIONS!!!
🥇🥇🥇🥇🥇🥇🥇🥇🥇🥇🥇🥇🥇#Tokyo2020#Diving#TeamGB#BBCOlympics#OlympicBreakfastpic.twitter.com/9lTnZOVw0E
— Samantha Quek (@SamanthaQuek) July 26, 2021
Kenneth would be so proud this morning!! Huge congratulations @TomDaley1994 🥇👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼 pic.twitter.com/aGqAePv8QG
— Tony Maudsley (@TonyMaudsley1) July 26, 2021
How it started: How it’s going: pic.twitter.com/DdeNVoZy0b
— Olympics (@Olympics) July 26, 2021
I can’t get over what @TomDaley1994 has achieved. After we followed him as that fragile child back in Beijing. His father dying. Being nailed on favourite in London when everyone else won gold. But not him.
And now all those years later. Gold. WHAT A STORY— Harry Wallop (@hwallop) July 26, 2021
What an amazing moment – massive congratulations to @TomDaley1994 and @mattydiver on a magnificent performance and gold medal. What a great story for Tom, I think there's something in my eye this morning! #TeamGB#Olympics
— Angela Rayner (@AngelaRayner) July 26, 2021
Anyone else crying watching Tom Daley and Matty Lee clinch gold 😭#olympics
— Molly McElwee (@molly_mcelwee) July 26, 2021
Now Tom Daley can add his Olympic gold medal to hubby Dustin Lance Black’s Oscar on their mantle. #TokyoOlympics#diving
— Beth Harris (@bethharrisap) July 26, 2021
Tom Daley wipes away tears at the Olympics ‘nobody cares about’ pic.twitter.com/dRIHgyqBFM
— Alex Spink (@alexspinkmirror) July 26, 2021
It was a great start to the week for Team GB. As well as Tom and Matty’s gold, Adam Peaty also won gold in the 100-metre breaststroke and Tom Piddock’s victory in the men’s cross country mountain biking brought Team GB’s gold medal total to three.
