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Britain’s most famous out, gay male athlete, diver Tom Daley, has won gold in the men’s synchronised 10m platform, alongside his diving partner Matty Lee. Pipping the Chinese pair to the podium, Daley and Lee delivered a hugely difficult dive incorporating 4.5 somersaults in perfect synchronicity, thirteen years after Daley made his Olympic debut in Beijing.

The father of one, 27, burst on to the diving scene a teenage sensation at just 14, and although he has gathered an impressive array of British, Commonwealth and World Championship wins, the greatest prize of all has remained frustratingly elusive. With an Olympic gold added to his already impressive medal haul, Daley has confirmed his place in the pantheon of all-time diving greats.

Daley told the BBC’s Nick Hope: “To finally have this gold medal around my neck after so many years! “I’ve been diving now for 20 years, it’s my fourth Olympic games and lots of people probably would have counted me out of this Olympics being the older person. But I’m in the best shape both physically and mentally and with the support of Matty coming into this competition.

“We’ve had an unstoppable mentality this year and that’s the first time I’ve ever been able to think like that – that we are the ones to come and beat! I still honestly can’t believe what’s happening.

“I was gone, I couldn’t even sing – I was blubbering!”

Matty Lee added, “All year I’ve been thinking about the gold Olympic medal and also trying not to think about it because you’ve got to go through the process.

“But to be able to share my first Olympics with Tom and to be a part of it is just special.”

Watch Tom and Matty’s amazing winning dive here: 

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Rob Harkavy

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