Daley 'gives his all' to smash Comic Relief challenge

19 Feb 2022

Tom Daley has reached diving's pinnacle, with Olympic and World Championship gold - but the British sporting hero says his latest challenge is "the hardest thing" he has ever done. 

Daley - who became Britain's most decorated Olympic diver when he won Men's 10m Synchro gold with Matty Lee and an individual Men's 10m Platform bronze at Tokyo 2020 - completed his Hell of a Homecoming mission for Comic Relief on Thursday, after a four-day journey that saw him rowing, swimming, cycling and running from outside the London Aquatics Centre to his home town of Plymouth, where he began his diving career as a child. 

The 27-year-old was doing it all to raise important funds for projects supported by Comic Relief, as he continues to make an impact outside of his sport, as well as within it. 

The mission began with a six-mile row, before a 60-mile cycle to the Redgrave Pinsent Rowing Lake. Day two saw Tom complete a 1600m open-water swim - showing his versatility across the world of aquatics - before another cycle, this time a 63-mile ride to Southampton. From there, he braved the elements on day three, battling through heavy rain and wind across a 130-mile cycle from Southampton on Wednesday, before the final-day, 30-mile run from Bovey Castle in Dartmoor National Park to Smeaton's Tower on Plymouth Hoe. 

Speaking afterwards, Olympic champion Daley acknowledged just how much he had had to give to complete his challenge. 

"I trained for the Olympics, I trained for all of those 20 years that I've been in diving - this is the hardest thing that I have ever had to do in my life, physically, it has just been one thing to the next to the next and the cumulative impact that it has had," he said.

Matty Lee Jane Figueiredo Tom Daley 10m Synchro celebrations Tokyo 2020
Jane Figueiredo with Matty Lee and Tom Daley at the Olympic Games

"These last three days I have put my body through things that I never thought I would be able to do. Raising money for Comic Relief is super important because it's going to help so many people across the country - so if people can donate, it will mean the world." 

As for Tom's coach, Jane Figueiredo, she had never any doubts that he would get to the finish line.

"I am extremely proud of Tom - but I'm proud of him with everything he accomplishes. One thing I know about Tom is that when he commits to something, he gives his all, and that's what makes him very, very special," she said. 

"He's done this challenge for the most awesome reasons, to raise money for Comic Relief, and he's very passionate about helping other people in any way he can. 

"It's a tremendous feat that he accomplished this - it's not something that a diver would normally try to attempt because it's very physical. But what's great about this event is that Tom challenged himself physically, emotionally and mentally, because I know he absolutely despises cold water! So it was great to see him out of his comfort zone and persevering no matter what." 

To find out how you can donate to Comic Relief as part of Tom's Hell of a Homecoming challenge, click here.