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He's one of Britain’s most decorated and beloved athletes, but Tom Daley has revealed that winning Olympic gold doesn't come with the kind of pay check many people expect.
In a candid revelation, the retired diver explained just how little professional Olympic divers actually earn, even at the top of their game. Despite competing in four Olympic Games, winning five medals, and becoming a national treasure in the process, Daley says the salary for a gold-medal-winning diver can be as low as £27,000 per year.
Speaking openly about the financial reality of elite sport, he said: “There are tiers. So, if you qualify for the major of the year then you get a certain amount, and if you come in the top eight you get more. Then if you win an Olympic medal you get to the top tier, which I think is twenty-seven a year.”
Credit: instagram.com/tomdaley
To put that in perspective, that’s less than the UK’s average salary, and a world away from the millions earned by footballers or tennis stars. Daley acknowledged that without sponsorships and commercial deals, many athletes would struggle to fund their careers, let alone thrive financially.
“I’m really fortunate to have had the sponsors and that kind of stuff,” he added, highlighting the fact that brand partnerships, not sporting success alone, often make the difference between financial hardship and stability for Olympians.
Daley first captured the nation’s heart as a 14-year-old prodigy at the 2008 Beijing Olympics. He went on to become the poster boy for the 2012 London Games, where he won bronze. After adding another bronze at Rio 2016, he finally clinched gold in Tokyo 2020 in the men's synchronised 10m platform alongside Matty Lee, a long-awaited victory that cemented his legacy as a true British sporting icon.
Despite his incredible achievements and fame, his recent comments shed light on the harsh economic reality for many athletes behind the glamour of the Olympic stage. Training full-time for years, maintaining elite performance, and representing your country on the world stage may sound like a dream, but for most, it's not a lucrative one.
Daley’s honesty has sparked conversations online about how Olympic athletes are funded in the UK, with fans and commentators calling for better financial support for those dedicating their lives to sport.
His story is a powerful reminder: not all heroes wear capes, and not all of them earn what they truly deserve.
