#LGBTInnovators - Diver Tom Daley
23rd February 2016
Tom Daley is an English diver and Olympic and Commonwealth Games Medalist.
Tom specialises in the 10 metre platform event and was the 2009 FINA World Champion in the individual event at the age of 15. He represented Great Britain at the 2008 Summer Olympics where he was Britain’s youngest competitor, the youngest competitor of any nationality outside the sport of swimming, and the youngest to participate in a final. In 2009, Tom reached a career best ranking of number one in the FINA World Diving Rankings for the ten-metre platform.
He won two gold medals for England at the 2010 Commonwealth Games, in the 10 metre synchro diving (with Max Brick) and the 10m Individual Platform competition, and won the bronze medal for Great Britain in the individual competition at the 2012 Summer Olympic Games.
Tom came out publicly as bisexual in 2013 by releasing a YouTube video announcing that he had been in a relationship with a man since early that year. He said: “I’ve never been happier.” He said that it had been a tough decision to speak out about his private life. He said: “I’d never felt the feeling of love, it happened so quickly, I was completely overwhelmed by it to the point I can’t get him out of my head all the time.” His partner is American film screenwriter, director and producer Dustin Lance Black. They live together in London. Tom has since came out as identifying as gay.
Leap Sports is spotlighting #LGBTInnovators in sport throughout LGBT History Month this February. We will celebrate a different LGBTI innovator in sport each day. LGBTI sports innovators include athletes, competitors, coaches, managers, community members, founders or co-ordinators of sports groups, someone passionate about their sport.
Got an LGBTI innovator in sport that you would like to shine a light on?
Use your imagination and join the conversation using the hashtag #LGBTInnovators on Twitter @Leapsports and Facebook facebook.com/leapsports
Find out more about LGBT History Month at www.lgbthistory.org.uk
