Tom Daly has done it!

This time last year many of us hadn’t heard of the name Tom Daly but he shot to fame when he was included in the British diving team for the Beijing Olympics. He hit the headlines because then he was only 14 years old. Whilst he performed well at the Olympics, he didn’t win a medal. And as we all said at the time, ‘but he has plenty of time – he’s only young’.

Today we woke up to the news that Tom had won Gold in the 10m Diving at the 13th Fina World Championships in Rome. It was Tom’s first World Championship competition. What an astonishing achievement and many congratulations to Tom! Olympic Gold Medallist, Matt Mitcham, came fourth.

Tom, has now experienced the amazing feelings of being the best in the world at his chosen sport. It is an extraordinary achievement by anyone but particularly by someone as young a 15 years old.

The discipline, the focus, the hour and hours every day training are way beyond our comprehension. All of his training has to be done alongside his schoolwork which will mean very early mornings and relentless training after school hours. The support from his family will have played a major part because no one gets to the top without others being there for them, encouraging, rewarding, appreciating their talent.

I was saddened to read that Tom had had to change schools because after the Olympics last year Tom became a victim of bullying. How very sad is that? Why can’t folk be supportive of success and happiness rather than jealous? Such negative response says more about the aggressor’s lack of self-esteem and I believe parents have a lot to answer for in that respect. We should empower, praise and encourage our children, whether they are talented or not, but at least we should look for the best in them and tell them so.

I am just off to collect a cheque for STEPS, the charity we support as it helps children with cerebral palsy and Down syndrome to progress their limited abilities in a way that changes their lives. For them there will be no Gold medals but the day they take their first steps, unaided by a parent or walking frame, is even more significant. They will probably have worked just as hard as Tom Daly to reach that point, and, just as it has for Tom, it will change their life forever.