It will be hard to imagine an Olympics without Tom Daley. Only 30, the English diver retired this year after representing Great Britain since 2008. The Paris Olympics marked a bright capstone to his career: He took home silver in synchronized 10m platform (adding to a career collection of three bronze and one gold).
His husband Dustin Lance Black and their sons Robbie and Phoenix Rose were there that day, and to “have them there cheering on in the audience was pretty special,” Daley says of the year’s highlight.
Since Daley came out in a 2013 YouTube video, he has used his diving platform to represent the LGBTQ+ community. “I think the most important thing is to just be visible, and be able to be your true authentic self, and be able to do the thing that you love to do and do it well. Do it with pride,” he says.
What’s next? Daley, who went viral for knitting at the Tokyo Olympics, launched his own knitwear line, Made With Love, and he hopes to make greater strides in fashion. @tomdaley
