Great Britain diving legend Tom Daley has announced his retirement from the sport after a glittering professional career, in which he competed in five Olympic Games and won eight world titles.
Daley memorably made his Olympics bow as a 14-year-old at the Beijing 2008 Games, before taking the bronze medal in the individual 10m platform at the London 2012 edition.
Daley also placed third in the Rio synchro competition with Daniel Goodfellow, before storming to a stunning gold alongside Matty Lee five years later in Tokyo, where he also achieved an individual bronze.
Following a hiatus, the 30-year-old returned to compete in Paris - where he was one of GB's flag bearers for the opening ceremony alongside Helen Glover - as he and Noah Williams placed second behind China.
The Paris 2024 Games was always expected to be Daley's last major competition, and speaking to Vogue magazine, the five-time Olympian confirmed that he would be hanging up his swimming trunks, claiming that now is the "right time" to call it quits.
"It feels very, very surreal. I felt so incredibly nervous going into this, knowing it was my last Olympics. There was a lot of pressure and expectation," the Briton told the publication.
This is an emotional watch!
— BBC Sport (@BBCSport) August 12, 2024
Tom Daley spoke to the BBC moments after announcing he will retire from diving. #BBCOlympics #Olympics #Paris2024 pic.twitter.com/hZfHABBpN0
"I was eager for it to be done... but when I walked out, and saw my husband [Lance] and kids [Robbie and Phoenix] and my friends and family in the audience, I was like, you know what? This is exactly why I did this. I'm here, and no matter what happens in the competition itself, I'm going to be happy.
"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. It's the right time to call it a day.
"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."
In addition to his quintet of Olympic podium placements, the 30-year-old clinched a total of four gold medals at the World Championships, four of which were gold, including individual 10m platform titles in 2009 and 2017.
Daley was also a member of the GB troupe that won gold in the team event this year, while he took home a total of eight medals from the European Championships, five golds and three silvers.
Lastly, the 30-year-old won gold in three successive Commonwealth Games tournaments from 2010 to 2018, and no other British diver has ever achieved five podium finishes at the Olympic Games.
Ben Knapton
