Bullying, the loss of his father, advice not to come out and eventual happiness with a husband and children. The full story of retired British diving champion Tom Daley has been made into a documentary called 1.6 Seconds, which you can now watch (and freeze-frame) on HBO Max.
Daley, who retired from competitive diving last year after nabbing his fifth Olympic medal – a silver in the 10-metre synchronised event in Paris – says of the pressure he put up with as a young teen, ‘I would look back at that and feel sorry for the young Tom a little bit.’
Beginning his Olympic journey with a bronze medal at the London Games in 2012, Daley went on to achieve further success with another bronze in Rio de Janeiro four years later, culminating in a gold medal in Tokyo during the 10m synchronised diving event. Each of these milestones has been seen alongside his personal experiences, particularly the bullying he endured during his formative years. As a teenager, Daley was subjected to harrowing taunts at school, which became more pronounced following his return from the Beijing Olympics, ending in a decision to transfer to a more supportive school.
Using his platform to advocate for inclusivity in sports, Daley has voiced concern over current developments regarding transgender participation in athletics, particularly in light of recent legislative changes in the United States. Following moves by former President Donald Trump to restrict transgender girls and women from competing in female sports, Daley warned of the long-term implications of alienating certain groups. ‘The messages that you send out and banning certain groups at whatever level it is can be really dangerous for creating an inclusive environment in sports,’ he said.
Source: Noah Wire Services
- https://fastbreak.com.ph/from-school-bullying-to-olympic-gold-daley-sees-teen-idol-pressure-in-new-light/sports-galore/ – Please view link – unable to able to access data
- https://www.reuters.com/en/school-bullying-olympic-gold-daley-sees-teen-idol-pressure-new-light-2025-06-05/ – Tom Daley, the retired British diving champion, reflects on the intense pressures of his early fame in a new HBO Max documentary titled ‘1.6 Seconds.’ The film chronicles his journey from becoming an Olympian at age 14 to enduring school bullying and the early loss of his father. Daley, who garnered five Olympic medals—including a gold in the 10m synchro event at the Tokyo Games—offers a retrospective view shaped by his current role as a parent, expressing newfound sympathy for his younger self. He discusses the psychological toll of public scrutiny and performance expectations as a teen idol. Daley, an outspoken advocate for inclusivity in sports since coming out as gay in 2013, voiced concern over recent moves to restrict transgender athletes’ participation. He criticized exclusionary policies, including those endorsed by former U.S. President Donald Trump, warning that they risk alienating future athletes by making sports feel unwelcoming. The International Olympic Committee has left decisions on transgender inclusion to individual sports federations, a stance Daley implies may pose dangers to inclusivity. ([reuters.com](https://www.reuters.com/en/school-bullying-olympic-gold-daley-sees-teen-idol-pressure-new-light-2025-06-05/?utm_source=openai))
- https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2009/apr/19/tomdaley-diving – In April 2009, 14-year-old Tom Daley revealed he was a long-term victim of bullying at school, with the problem worsening after his return from the Beijing Olympics. Fellow pupils at Eggbuckland Community College in Plymouth taunted him with nicknames like ‘Diver Boy’ and threw objects at him. Daley’s father considered moving him to another school due to the severity of the bullying. ([theguardian.com](https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2009/apr/19/tomdaley-diving?utm_source=openai))
- https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2009/jun/02/tom-daley-school-bullying-diving – In June 2009, Olympic diver Tom Daley moved to Plymouth College to escape bullying at his previous school, Eggbuckland Community College. The bullying intensified after his return from the Beijing Olympics, with fellow students taunting him and throwing objects at him. Daley’s parents withdrew him from the school, and he enrolled in Plymouth College, which had experience supporting young athletes. ([theguardian.com](https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2009/jun/02/tom-daley-school-bullying-diving?utm_source=openai))
- https://www.itv.com/news/2021-07-26/tom-daley-from-being-bullied-at-school-to-diving-for-olympic-gold – In July 2021, ITV News highlighted Tom Daley’s journey from being bullied at school to winning Olympic gold. After the Beijing 2008 Olympics, Daley faced severe bullying, leading to his father’s death in 2011. Despite these challenges, Daley won bronze in the 10m platform at London 2012 and continued to achieve success in his diving career. ([itv.com](https://www.itv.com/news/2021-07-26/tom-daley-from-being-bullied-at-school-to-diving-for-olympic-gold?utm_source=openai))
- https://www.attitude.co.uk/news/world/tom-daley-and-dustin-lance-black-relive-school-bullying-experiences-watch-293867/ – In a video for the Diana Award’s #Back2School anti-bullying campaign, Tom Daley and his husband Dustin Lance Black shared their experiences of being bullied at school. Daley recounted how, after qualifying for the 2008 Olympics, he was taunted and had objects thrown at him during lunchtime, making diving feel like a burden. Both emphasized the importance of pursuing one’s passions despite bullying. ([attitude.co.uk](https://www.attitude.co.uk/news/world/tom-daley-and-dustin-lance-black-relive-school-bullying-experiences-watch-293867/?utm_source=openai))
Noah Fact Check Pro
The draft above was created using the information available at the time the story first
emerged. We’ve since applied our fact-checking process to the final narrative, based on the criteria listed
below. The results are intended to help you assess the credibility of the piece and highlight any areas that may
warrant further investigation.
Freshness check
Score:
10
Notes:
The narrative is fresh, with the earliest known publication date being 5 June 2025. The report originates from Reuters, a reputable organisation, and is not recycled content. The inclusion of updated data and the release of the documentary ‘1.6 Seconds’ on HBO Max further enhance its freshness.
Quotes check
Score:
10
Notes:
The direct quotes from Tom Daley in the report are unique to this publication, with no identical matches found in earlier material. This suggests the content is original or exclusive.
Source reliability
Score:
10
Notes:
The narrative originates from Reuters, a reputable organisation, lending credibility to the information presented.
Plausability check
Score:
10
Notes:
The claims made in the report are plausible and consistent with known information about Tom Daley’s career and personal experiences. The report provides specific details, such as the release of the documentary ‘1.6 Seconds’ on HBO Max, which are verifiable.
Overall assessment
Verdict (FAIL, OPEN, PASS): PASS
Confidence (LOW, MEDIUM, HIGH): HIGH
Summary:
The narrative is fresh, originating from a reputable source, and presents original content with verifiable details. There are no significant credibility risks identified.
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