Diversity Rules Magazine

Tony Guadagnino is a marke ng consultant. Locat- ed in New Jersey, his clients are based across the country, focusing on social media to build their presence on the internet. He stud- ied crea ve writ- ing in college and is currently work- ing his first novel on the subject of bullying. He lives with his partner Mark. With the Olympics coming back in on July 23rd in Tokyo, it's me to re-examine some of the previous LGBT Athletes who have represented our community in Olympic history. Having featured some of the top American athletes over the last year, I am going to sail across the Atlan c Ocean to the United Kingdom and discuss Tom Daley. Tom Daley is a well- known Bri sh div- er and an Olympic bronze medalist. He began professionally diving at the young age of 8. While tak- ing driving lessons, a coach spo ed him, recruited him, and placed him in com- pe ve squad diving. He competed in his first-ever compe on a year later at the Na- onal Novice Cham- pionship, where he won a medal in the 8 and 9-year-olds boys category. Just five months later, he took part in an "Invita on Only" diving compe on, in which he won the 1 m, 3 m, and pla orm events. For the next three years, he competed and won his age group in the Bri sh Champion- ships in 1 m spring- boards, 3 m spring- board, and pla orm. Barely into the age of double-digits, Tom was making a name for himself in the sport of diving. At the age of 12, Tom Daley was given a special dispensa- on to compete in the 2007 Australian Youth Olympic Fes- val (the minimum age is 15). He won the silver medal with partner Callum Johnstone in the 10 m synchronized-diving. Late that year, he won the senior pla orm tle at the Amateur Swimming Associa on, then entered the Interna onal Swimming Federa on's diving cir- cuit and World Series events, finishing fourth in the individual compe on. Tom Daley was now being looked upon as a contender for the 2012 Summer Olympics in London. A year before the Olympics, Tom paired with Peter Waterfield (a silver medalist in 2004) in synchronized diving compe ons and entered diving compe ons to prepare for the Summer Olympics. They placed high enough to qualify, believing they would win the first medal of the Games for Great Britain. As they competed in the 10 m men's synchronized pla orm event, a poor reverse 3 ½ somersault with a tuck in the fourth round put them out of the running, and they ended up placing fourth in the compe on. Daley - Con't on page 20 10|Diversity Rules Magazine | Mar 2021 Empowering Inspiration Tom Daley By Tony Guadagnino

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