Tom Daley

[ben andrews' girlfriend]

Blame game already starting

Only a few minutes after the results showed that Tom Daley, the youngest competitor in the 2008 Olympic Games, and Blake Aldridge had finished eighth and last in today's 10m synchronised diving final, a crack appeared in the shiny, happy surface of a collaboration that had always looked dangerously lopsided.

In Aldridge's view, they failed to achieve the medal that lay within their grasp because Beijing's most photographed 14-year-old had suffered an attack of nerves that reached a climax in a spat between the two before the last of their six dives.

While Daley prattled cheerfully into a thicket of microphones, exuding undimmed optimism and exercising his precocious talent for delivering carefully coached soundbites, the 26-year-old Aldridge stood beside his partner in the silent mode he has been required to adopt for most of the past few months. His grim smile seemed to say, "Not much more of this, thank God." But the look on his face also suggested that there was something more on his mind, and it only took a couple of questions to get it out.

"It's a synchro team, there's two of us, and that's the hard thing about it," Aldridge said. "Both of you have to be on your game at the same time and that just didn't happen today. Thomas is 14 years old. He's done phenomenally and for me to be a part of a partnership with him is a great thing. I knew, going into this Olympic Games, that we were capable of a medal, but I also knew that it depended on how Tom performed. I wasn't on the top of my game, but I out-dived Thomas today and that's not something that normally happens. That to me is because he had a lot more pressure on him than I did.

"I'm not disappointed with my performance. I wasn't at my best but I landed on my head with every single dive, which was my aim. But it was hard work for me today. Tom was very nervous, more so than ever before. I think he really struggled to get through the competition, and as his partner it was hard for me to get up there and try and ease him into it. Unfortunately for me, it didn't work today.

"He had a pop at me before the last dive, when we were sitting down. I saw my mum in the audience and I asked her to give me a call and Tom went to me, 'Why are you on the phone? We're still in the competition and we've got another dive to do.' That's just Thomas - he's over-nervous and that's how it was today. Thomas should not be worrying about what I'm doing, but today he was worrying about everyone and everything and that to me is really the sole reason why he didn't perform today."

Daley can look forward to mounting further challenges to the Chinese, German and Russian teams who took the medals, with London 2012 as the prime target. "I was quite disappointed," the schoolboy said of today's outcome, "but it was a great experience and I really enjoyed myself. I had so much fun out there. That's all you can ask, getting the experience. We just had a bad day. I tried to not make it feel different but there was lots of pressure on me and I was very nervous. It was there for the taking but it wasn't my day today. Now I'm looking at 2012, like I've always said."

For Aldridge, by contrast, the opportunity of glory disappeared for good when they failed to get the marks they felt they deserved for their opening dives. They had been in the bronze medal position after their first effort but a mark six out of 10 from one of the execution judges for their third dive, an inward three-and-a-half somersault, took the wind from their sails. They lost cohesion and were unable to recover as the dives became progressively more demanding.

While Daley goes on to compete in the individual 10m platform event in 10 days' time, Aldridge will be on his way back home to Southampton. "Tom's lucky that he has got another chance," he concluded, "and I hope he takes a lot of experience from this and that it stands him in good stead. Unfortunately I don't have another chance."

Sounds like jealousy to me. Tom's dives were far better than Aldridges

 

[eastlondonseagull]

Blame game already starting

Only a few minutes after the results showed that Tom Daley, the youngest competitor in the 2008 Olympic Games, and Blake Aldridge had finished eighth and last in today's 10m synchronised diving final, a crack appeared in the shiny, happy surface of a collaboration that had always looked dangerously lopsided.

In Aldridge's view, they failed to achieve the medal that lay within their grasp because Beijing's most photographed 14-year-old had suffered an attack of nerves that reached a climax in a spat between the two before the last of their six dives.

While Daley prattled cheerfully into a thicket of microphones, exuding undimmed optimism and exercising his precocious talent for delivering carefully coached soundbites, the 26-year-old Aldridge stood beside his partner in the silent mode he has been required to adopt for most of the past few months. His grim smile seemed to say, "Not much more of this, thank God." But the look on his face also suggested that there was something more on his mind, and it only took a couple of questions to get it out.

"It's a synchro team, there's two of us, and that's the hard thing about it," Aldridge said. "Both of you have to be on your game at the same time and that just didn't happen today. Thomas is 14 years old. He's done phenomenally and for me to be a part of a partnership with him is a great thing. I knew, going into this Olympic Games, that we were capable of a medal, but I also knew that it depended on how Tom performed. I wasn't on the top of my game, but I out-dived Thomas today and that's not something that normally happens. That to me is because he had a lot more pressure on him than I did.

"I'm not disappointed with my performance. I wasn't at my best but I landed on my head with every single dive, which was my aim. But it was hard work for me today. Tom was very nervous, more so than ever before. I think he really struggled to get through the competition, and as his partner it was hard for me to get up there and try and ease him into it. Unfortunately for me, it didn't work today.

"He had a pop at me before the last dive, when we were sitting down. I saw my mum in the audience and I asked her to give me a call and Tom went to me, 'Why are you on the phone? We're still in the competition and we've got another dive to do.' That's just Thomas - he's over-nervous and that's how it was today. Thomas should not be worrying about what I'm doing, but today he was worrying about everyone and everything and that to me is really the sole reason why he didn't perform today."

Daley can look forward to mounting further challenges to the Chinese, German and Russian teams who took the medals, with London 2012 as the prime target. "I was quite disappointed," the schoolboy said of today's outcome, "but it was a great experience and I really enjoyed myself. I had so much fun out there. That's all you can ask, getting the experience. We just had a bad day. I tried to not make it feel different but there was lots of pressure on me and I was very nervous. It was there for the taking but it wasn't my day today. Now I'm looking at 2012, like I've always said."

For Aldridge, by contrast, the opportunity of glory disappeared for good when they failed to get the marks they felt they deserved for their opening dives. They had been in the bronze medal position after their first effort but a mark six out of 10 from one of the execution judges for their third dive, an inward three-and-a-half somersault, took the wind from their sails. They lost cohesion and were unable to recover as the dives became progressively more demanding.

While Daley goes on to compete in the individual 10m platform event in 10 days' time, Aldridge will be on his way back home to Southampton. "Tom's lucky that he has got another chance," he concluded, "and I hope he takes a lot of experience from this and that it stands him in good stead. Unfortunately I don't have another chance."

Interesting stuff! And to be honest, I don't blame Aldridge one bit. It's been a scrum around Daley and Aldridge has been ignored. Watching on the telly today, Daley was the one making mistakes, so I bet Aldridge is WELL gutted. Interesting that he came out in public, though.

.

 

[eastlondonseagull]

Sounds like jealousy to me. Tom's dives were far better than Aldridges

Not this morning, they weren't. I couldn't dive properly on a football pitch, let alone in a pool, so I'm no expert, but the commentators said that Daley was the one who was losing them points.

.

 

[Twinkle Toes]

Apart from young Tom's failure to rip the entry a couple of times, how can it always be down to just the 1 diver being out of synchronization? Surely they are BOTH out of sync' innit?!!

 

[Tooting Gull]

Given that there was always likely to be a circus surrounding a 14-year-old, it might have been better to have him in individual events only. Rather than in a pairs thing with a bloke who doesn't even like the cocky little runt.

 

[mattb]

men

 

[Twinkle Toes]

Given that there was always likely to be a circus surrounding a 14-year-old, it might have been better to have him in individual events only. Rather than in a pairs thing with a bloke who doesn't even like the cocky little runt.

I love the way he's gone from being a bright, confident & hugely gifted 14 year-old to being a cocky little runt in the space of a day!

 

[Tooting Gull]

I love the way he's gone from being a bright, confident & hugely gifted 14 year-old to being a cocky little runt in the space of a day!

That's showbiz. He must have really wound the other guy up, I've never heard a 'partner' slate the other one so much, especially given he's so young.

 

[Twinkle Toes]

The crack house beckons beckons then!

 

[logan89]

I love the way he's gone from being a bright, confident & hugely gifted 14 year-old to being a cocky little runt in the space of a day!

Wait untill after the singles in a few days and the r will change to a c.

 

[barney]

Wait untill after the singles in a few days and the r will change to a c.

get your logans out

 

[logan89]

get your logans out

Whip 'em out Barney.

 

[barney]

Whip 'em out Barney.

what does that mean?

 

[eastlondonseagull]

...to being a cocky little runt in the space of a day!

He's not, though. He's amazingly grounded.

.

 

[Twinkle Toes]

He's not, though. He's amazingly grounded.

.

Hang on there, I DON'T think young Tommy is a cocky little runt! I just find it amusing how people often change their opinion of somebody almost in the blink of an eye. It's the old build 'em up: knock 'em down wotsit, innit? If there was a competition for it, the Brit's would clear the board!

 

[eastlondonseagull]

Hang on there, I DON'T think young Tommy is a cocky little runt! I just find it amusing how people often change their opinion of somebody almost in the blink of an eye. It's the old build 'em up: knock 'em down wotsit, innit? If there was a competition for it, the Brit's would clear the board!

Yeah, I know, I wasn't accusing you of saying he was.

 

[Les Biehn]

Nice of him to say that I thought. Why not blame a 14 year old boy, potentially knocking his confidence in the process.

 

[jamie-oh]

the campest 14-yr old ever

 

[User removed 4]

the campest 14-yr old ever

oh do me a favour mate , hes a kid for gods sake.

 

[London Calling]

Alldridge hope of getting a medal was riding on the back of the kid (something he has probably also wanted to do)

that chance has now been blown away, the talented one is still there, whilst Aldridge can pick up his rattles and take them home.