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Olympics 2024: Team GB diver Tom Daley retires after silver

Team GB diver Tom Daley announced his retirement Monday after the conclusion of the Paris Olympics, saying it is the "right time" to step away from the sport.

Daley, 30, won five medals in five Games appearances, the highlight being the gold he won alongside Jack Laugher in Tokyo in 2021 and culminating in a silver in the men's 10-metre synchronised diving in Paris.

Speaking to lifestyle magazine Vogue, Daley revealed he knew before the Games that it would be his last Olympics.

"I felt so incredibly nervous going into this, knowing it was my last Olympics," he said. "There was a lot of pressure and expectation.

"I was eager for it to be done ... but when I walked out, and saw my husband [Lance] and kids [Robbie and Phoenix] and my friends and family in the audience, I was like: 'You know what? This is exactly why I did this. I'm here, and no matter what happens in the competition itself, I'm going to be happy.'

"It was emotional at the end, up there on the platform, knowing it was going to be my last competitive dive.

"But I have to make the decision at some point, and it feels like the right time. It's the right time to call it a day."

After winning silver in Paris alongside Noah Williams, Daley had suggested he could continue to Los Angeles in 2028.

"I live in L.A. now, so it could be a chance to do a second home Olympic games," he said. "But for right now, I just want to enjoy this moment and we'll see how it goes after that."

Daley emerged as a star for Team GB at the Beijing Olympics in 2008 as a 14-year-old and began amassing medals in London in 2012, where he was one of the poster-boys for the Olympiad.

His popularity grew even more after he came out as gay in 2013, and he was selected to be a flag-bearer for Team GB at the opening ceremony in Paris.

Daley took a two-year break from sport after Tokyo, only returning in July 2023 after his son said he wanted to see him dive at the Olympics.

"I'm really happy with how everything's gone," an emotional Daley told the BBC as Team GB returned to the UK.

"It's always hard when you say goodbye to your sport. Lots of things to process, but I think it's the right time. This year felt like such a bonus and I got to compete in front of my family, my kids. I got to be flag-bearer. So yeah, bucket list ticked off on every occasion."

In all, he has three bronze medals, the silver from Paris and the all-important gold. He has also won four gold medals at world championships between 2009 and 2024.

Information from Reuters contributed to the report.