Tom Daley
“You can only do so much in the gym or pool. 70% of it is physical, but the final 30% is down to the mental capacity to actually control what you can do in competition.”
Who Am I?
When Tom Daley was just 15, he became a diving champion. Three years later, he won a bronze medal for diving at the 2012 London Olympics. He also went on to win bronze at the 2016 Rio Olympics and became one of the biggest names in world diving. Even though Tom’s life looked great from the outside, he was at an all-time low. He was being bullied at school and in the media. Tom decided he needed to take charge of his life. He announced he was in love with a man and said, ‘I’ve never been happier.’
What Am I Known For?
Since then, Tom has never looked back. He won gold in the 2020 Olympics, making him the first British diver to win four Olympic medals. When things got dark in his life, Tom found a way to bring back the light.
Tom realised that he grew as a person when he was true to himself. He supports causes that find ways to help others grow. He is a patron of the LGBT+ charity Switchboard, and Tom also advocates for gay rights.
How About You?
Can you practise self-control, even if you are enthusiastic about something? For example, if you know the answer to the teacher’s question.
Are you able to stay true to who you are, even if it means that things can get tough?
Other Amazing People (you can find them on the website)
Alan Turing is one of our Amazing People who knew all about being bullied at school. He had a tough time at school, made worse when his only friend died of tuberculosis. Discover his story on the site.
Other Useful Resources (available on the website)
Please see our Teacher’s Guide to Character and Mental Health Wellbeing to learn more about using character strengths.
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Photo: Jim Thurston, CC BY-SA 2.0