“I don’t know about six [Olympics] – but I also said that the last time – and here I am back and they might be adding another event into the ‘28 Games in the mixed team, so who knows,” he said.
That was in reference to rumours that the International Olympic Committee will debut a new event that might well be ideally suited to a veteran who, as well as being Britain’s first diving five-time Olympian, will also be the oldest diver from any nation.
Daley’s coach, Jane Figueiredo, who rates him among the three greatest divers in history, is also not ruling out the possibility of continuing beyond Paris. “Of course he could,” she said. “My hope is that they will add a team event, whether that involves Tom or not … he’d be 34. I’ll leave that for the time when it comes. I believe in him.”
The shared focus for now, however, is on the next 12 days. And so Daley will soon log out of social media, switch phones to a device for which only Black, Figueiredo and his mum Debbie have the number, and tune into trying to defend the 10m synchronized platform Olympic title. Just as in Tokyo, that narrowing of focus will also once again include knitting between dives as a means of relaxation.
