Tom Daley, U.K. gold medallist and world-class knitter

In a world that teaches prejudice, stereotypes and homophobia—be a Tom Daley. Daley is a British diver and recent Olympic gold medalist at the 2020 event who is still making waves by knitting his way to our hearts.

After winning a gold medal in the 2020 men’s synchronized 10-metre platform event, Daley was seen knitting in the crowd during the women’s final three-metre trampoline event, and again at several others. Turns out he has been auctioning off most of the items he has made during the Olympics and donating the proceeds to several charitable causes.

“Perhaps the most wonderful thing about it all is that he does it all for charity. The 27-year-old gives away his homemade creations in an effort to raise money for a number of causes; earlier this month, he successfully raffled off a chunky rainbow sweater and raised £5,787 [CAD $8,617] for the Brain Tumour Charity. He chose that organization as his father died in 2011 from a brain tumour at age 40,” said a post on social media praising his efforts.

Sharen Crochet Art, a knitting page on Facebook, shared pictures of Daley knitting and said he has also donated some of the proceeds from his knitting auctions to foster homes supporting LGBTQ+ children. Daley is a well-known high-profile LGBTQ+ icon in the U.K. known not only for his diving skills but also as a TV personality.

“Daley continues to cement his status not only as a national treasure and role model for young people, but a high-profile LGBTQIA+ icon whose openness, alongside his obvious dedication to his sport, is absolutely infectious,” reads another post on social media. He has an Instagram account titled: Made With Love.

He has an Instagram account titled: Made With Love by Tom Daley. Daley stated online that he picked up knitting as a quarantine hobby while he was in lockdown in London with his husband, screenwriter Dustin Lance Black, his son and his mother. Not able to practice his dives for Tokyo due to COVID-19 closures, he took up knitting.

Daley also knitted together a pouch for his new gold medal from the Tokyo Games. “It’s the one thing that has kept me sane throughout this whole process,” he said in an Instagram video. “I love it, I could literally do it all day.”

Daley made his first appearance at the Olympic Games in 2008 in Beijing, where he placed seventh in the 10-meter platform dive. He won an individual bronze medal at the London Games in 2012, and another bronze in synchronized 10-meter platform diving in Rio in 2016. In recent years he has become one of Britain’s best-known athletes. He keeps the momentum from his popularity going into his social media accounts, and now runs a YouTube channel with more than 1 million followers.

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