[Miracle Day]

(Original post by ThatPerson)
The comments in this thread are unbelievable. If his achievements are so easy, I'd like some of you try to do his training, cope with the loss of a parent, get A's at A-Level(Even if one is photography, the others were Maths and Spanish) combined with the pressure of doing well on home soil in London 2012.

I'd challenge anyone on this thread to complete a dive like this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uh_ZAup37xk

Great dive. It pisses me off how you get points for having a small and big dive. Have you seen Tom's build compared to that little chinese man ffs

[EnigmaticSpirit]

(Original post by Ocassus)
His hardest dive.

I think only one person (who is trolling) is belittle his achievement. But you've got to understand, in the grand scheme of things Tom is impressive, but relative to some of the people on his team he doesn't deserve all the focus and attention. Like I said, Jack Laugher, another diver, who is younger than Tom is a favourite for the gold on the 3m. Siobhan, a 16 year old, is competing in a more strength orientated sport (where age matters much more) and has got no attention.

Its not particularly fair on the other athletes.

I am not trolling, just speaking the truth. Ignorant people who believe he could get into a top institution are kidding themselves.

[Ocassus]

(Original post by EnigmaticSpirit)
I am not trolling, just speaking the truth. Ignorant people who believe he could get into a top institution are kidding themselves.

His goal isn't to get into a top institution. :l


Also, if he was to put diving to one side and apply to Cambridge, do you honestly reckon they'd say no even with his 'average' A level grades? You do realise that the Oxbridge universities are looking AWAY from this kind of stuff now and being a former world champion in a sport and competing for your country actually shows a great deal of transferrable skills that they look for, especially perseverance. I'd bet money that if Tom selected the right course, he would get into Cambridge/Oxford for a non-science subject.

[Pensivedore]

I imagine he's under a lot of pressure to actually do well. The public attention he's recieving, in comparison to his other team mates, is probably very stressful.

[ThatPerson]

(Original post by Ocassus)
His hardest dive.

I think only one person (who is trolling) is belittle his achievement. But you've got to understand, in the grand scheme of things Tom is impressive, but relative to some of the people on his team he doesn't deserve all the focus and attention. Like I said, Jack Laugher, another diver, who is younger than Tom is a favourite for the gold on the 3m. Siobhan, a 16 year old, is competing in a more strength orientated sport (where age matters much more) and has got no attention.

Its not particularly fair on the other athletes.

I understand your point but I guess with regards to the documentary the BBC made; Tom Daley is fairly well known in the UK, so they got greater viewing figures by focusing on him, than if they focussed on lesser-known athletes, even if they do have a better chance of winning gold in their respective sport.

[Ocassus]

(Original post by ThatPerson)
I understand your point but I guess with regards to the documentary the BBC made; Tom Daley is fairly well known in the UK, so they got greater viewing figures by focusing on him, than if they focussed on lesser-known athletes, even if they do have a better chance of winning gold in their respective sport.

They could have focused on the diving team instead of Tom though. Despite diving being a (mostly) singles sport, you cannot underestimate how much a team means. They become your family for competitions and training together means you develop strong bonds.

Tom is fairly well known because he is frustratingly charismatic, he is not the boy I remember a long time ago who sat on the edge of the 5 meter refusing to jump off.

[Miracle Day]

(Original post by Ocassus)
They could have focused on the diving team instead of Tom though. Despite diving being a (mostly) singles sport, you cannot underestimate how much a team means. They become your family for competitions and training together means you develop strong bonds.

Tom is fairly well known because he is frustratingly charismatic, he is not the boy I remember a long time ago who sat on the edge of the 5 meter refusing to jump off.

I'm assuming you and him were school friends then? Tell us some stories

Apparently he was also bullied in school?

[Ocassus]

(Original post by Miracle Day)
I'm assuming you and him were school friends then? Tell us some stories

Apparently he was also bullied in school?

I was at Milfield, he was at Plymouth College.

I train at Plymouth Leander as my main club when I'm not boarding, so I train in the same centre as him with the swim team. We aren't 'friends' really, he knows my name, I know his name, we have exchanged pleasantries (Very awkward once on the way up to Sheffield for developments before he went to Beijing because I was talking to both him and Tonia () about diving vs swimming as a sport and he got quite animated about it.)

We also have an interclub rivalry (Swimming vs Diving) so we have often played each other at things, mini-golf, bowling, etcetera.


He went to a place called Eggbuckland and was asked how much his legs were worth if they were forcibly broken off his body and sold. He was ridiculed by a small minority of kids and that is definitely not the environment you want to be in as a world class athlete. I reckon Plymouth would have poached him sooner or later anyway, he dived for them, it was only a matter of time.

[Aisha~~]

Not gonna lie, pretty jelly. Younger than me, more successful than me, better looking than me, more talent than me.

[L'Evil Fish]

(Original post by EnigmaticSpirit)
With the expenses paid for top-notch resources and teachers it should be easy. It is much more arduous to achieve top grades at a comprehensive where most people are disruptive and achieve C grades.

Not really... It's not arduous to achieve top grades where everyone's disruptive... It might be harder but by no means arduous or difficult... ""

[Ocassus]

(Original post by Aisha~~)
Not gonna lie, pretty jelly. Younger than me, more successful than me, better looking than me, more talent than me.

I think for the most part ALL of us think like that. Its not a glamorous life being an Olympic athlete if you're in a minority sport like diving or swimming, but Daley struck gold and boy is it annoying.

[Miracle Day]

(Original post by Ocassus)
I think for the most part ALL of us think like that. Its not a glamorous life being an Olympic athlete if you're in a minority sport like diving or swimming, but Daley struck gold and boy is it annoying.

Oh that's really awesome. Do you think you'll still see him every now and again?

Are you at Cardiff Uni now btw? (I want to go there next year)

[L'Evil Fish]

(Original post by Miracle Day)
Oh that's really awesome. Do you think you'll still see him every now and again?

Are you at Cardiff Uni now btw? (I want to go there next year)

I live in Cardiff what do you want to study?

[Ocassus]

(Original post by Miracle Day)
Oh that's really awesome. Do you think you'll still see him every now and again?

Are you at Cardiff Uni now btw? (I want to go there next year)

I have an offer for Oxford Firm and Manchester Insurance.

The thing is Manchester's course is practically the same, my applied for accomodation is right next to the Commonwealth centre so I can keep swimming (Ox doesn't have that) and I really like it, so I might just say **** it and go Manc. (negs abound). Oh, and I get a pretty hefty cash sum for going to Manc but not for Ox.

I will probably see him every time I come back from Uni, I don't think he is moving anytime soon from Plymouth, will focus on his diving for a couple more years, probably up till 2016, then work on a career as something else (Presenter if I recall correctly).

Tom is such a good motivator in training though, whilst you're plowing up and down the pool and he is doing his blurry, twisty turns, you just think 'I want some of that glory' and so you work so much harder. Its quite a good effect.

A couple of people at the swim club (including me) especially have all had a laugh at this particular video





The aim is that we all get videos made of us like that, thats the dream! Even if it is a somewhat vain one! (I've already got the music sorted )

[Miracle Day]

(Original post by shadab786ahmed)
I live in Cardiff what do you want to study?

Law

(Original post by Ocassus)
I have an offer for Oxford Firm and Manchester Insurance.

The thing is Manchester's course is practically the same, my applied for accomodation is right next to the Commonwealth centre so I can keep swimming (Ox doesn't have that) and I really like it, so I might just say **** it and go Manc. (negs abound). Oh, and I get a pretty hefty cash sum for going to Manc but not for Ox.

I will probably see him every time I come back from Uni, I don't think he is moving anytime soon from Plymouth, will focus on his diving for a couple more years, probably up till 2016, then work on a career as something else (Presenter if I recall correctly).

Tom is such a good motivator in training though, whilst you're plowing up and down the pool and he is doing his blurry, twisty turns, you just think 'I want some of that glory' and so you work so much harder. Its quite a good effect.

A couple of people at the swim club (including me) especially have all had a laugh at this particular video





The aim is that we all get videos made of us like that, thats the dream! Even if it is a somewhat vain one! (I've already got the music sorted )

Oh right so why does your TSR thing say you live in Cardiff?

And haha Good Luck, if you make it you shall have my full support

[Ocassus]

(Original post by Miracle Day)
Law


Oh right so why does your TSR thing say you live in Cardiff?

And haha Good Luck, if you make it you shall have my full support

Oh because I randomised everything after I thought a friend had found my account.

I lead a double life!

[Miracle Day]

(Original post by Ocassus)
Oh because I randomised everything after I thought a friend had found my account.

I lead a double life!

Lmfao that's hillarious. I did something similar, where I changed my name to "Miley Cyrus".. I think it's still Miley Cyrus now lol

[L'Evil Fish]

(Original post by Miracle Day)
Law

Awesome!

[NR09]

Why are people arguing about his exam results?

He is an Olympic athlete who has gone through very difficult circumstances and still seems like a really down to earth, nice guy despite all of the media attention he gets.

He is a top bloke

[Astronomical]

(Original post by Deshi)
I don't know why he gets so much attention. When the British athletes were walking in yesterday they zoomed in on him more than any other athlete and now they have a documentary on him. Loads of British athletes are more likely to win gold.

And, more importantly as far as media coverage goes, are more attractive.