From Team GB’s youngest competitor at the 2008 Olympics to the oldest ever medal winner in his event.

From a 14-year-old schoolboy in Beijing to a competitor in the sport in Paris, the inspiration that fueled him for so long was watching his children in the stands.

The 10m synchro platform title at Tokyo 2020 could not be defended – the Chinese rivals were simply too strong this time – but Tom Daley was certainly satisfied with silver.

This five-time Olympian now has five medals with a complete set.

But in the run-up to Beijing 2008, this schoolboy told me he was happy to be recognized by Starbucks and given a free chocolate Frappuccino.

He said in our first interview, “It’s really weird to think that people respect you and recognize you for what you do.”

Something he certainly had to get used to, as he is not so much the face of British sport as the face of the greatest female diver in the world.

Now, 16 years later, we caught up with diving partner Noah Williams at Team GB’s home in Paris, where we had won the silver medals just hours earlier, and reflected on the journey.

“It’s the whole thing between the point where we didn’t really know how big and impressive the Olympics were in 2008 and the point where we’re able to get through it and win medals along the way,” Daley told Sky News.

“But this time it just feels a little bit different. I have a different perspective on what the Olympics mean to me.

“Right now my family is the most important thing and it was very special to be able to fight for them and for them.”

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“If your child asks you to do something, you do it”

Three-year-old Phoenix celebrated his birthday in Paris in the arms of Daley’s husband Dustin Lance Black, along with their other son, five-year-old Robbie, who was eager to see his father in person at the Olympics.

So, after a two-year break, Daley once again subjected his body and mind to a grueling Olympic cycle.

“When your kid asks you to do something, you do it or else — all hell breaks loose,” Daley said. “So it was just one of those things that I kind of missed diving a little bit … and there was a reason why I didn’t say I was done (after Tokyo).”

“I always felt like there was something I was clinging to.

“And it’s very difficult as an athlete to be able to say, ‘I’m done with it naturally.’

“And when Robbie said, ‘Oh, I want to see a dive at the Olympics,’ that was the perfect signal for me to say, okay, he’s said it, I’m going.

“And I didn’t know if I would make it back to the synchro team. We didn’t know if we would qualify for the Olympics.

“But actually, once things got going and we realized we were actually doing quite well. And every event we did this year, we won a medal. So we’re pretty happy with that.”

‘Tokyo was a very different kind of Olympic Games’

And I’m happy to be able to do that again at the Olympics in front of an audience, after Daley finally won gold during the pandemic games in an empty stadium.

“It also feels really surreal to be here for a fifth Olympics and to be diving in front of a crowd again, because Tokyo was a very different kind of Olympics,” Daley said. “So to be able to go out there again and come away with silver and match Noah was really special. So definitely on a high.”

‘I cried so much today’

It was also emotional for Williams.

At this peak of his career – after missing out on a medal in Tokyo – the 24-year-old reflected on coach Dave Jenkins, who died suddenly between the Olympic Games.

Williams told Sky News: “I’ve cried way too much today. It’s been crazy emotional.

“I didn’t think so, but when I started getting messages from his wife and then from his family members, I felt so proud and happy. And I feel like I finally made him proud.”

‘When I was younger I wanted to quit so often’

Without Mr. Jenkins’ support, Williams wouldn’t even have been to Paris.

“When I was younger, I wanted to quit so many times, but he stuck with me and took me from a cocky 15-year-old kid to an athlete at the Tokyo Olympics,” Williams recalls.

“He helped my career and my whole life tremendously. And he was the kindest person I ever knew. I miss him every day.”

With the medal proudly around his neck, Williams said, “This one is definitely for Dave.”