Primetime Tom Daley 'committed to elite diving'
TOM DALEY'S trainer has dismissed claims that the sports star's TV work is affecting his diving.
Coach Andy Banks says new show Splash! – in which Tom mentors celebrities in a diving competition – has an "absolutely minimal" effect on the Olympic medallist's training schedule.
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Tom Daley remains totally committed to diving, says his coach Andy Banks, far left
"Splash! was tailor-made for Tom to fit around his training," said Mr Banks.
"He remains completely committed to diving and training at an elite level."
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Mr Banks' comments come after British Swimming chief executive David Sparkes said Tom should look at the example of skaters Torvill and Dean who put their competitive careers first.
"It's only going to get harder to achieve that Olympic gold," he said.
"You can rest assured the next Chinese diving superstar will not have such distractions from training," added Mr Sparkes who said he had put his concerns to Tom's agent.
Before last year's Olympics British Diving performance director Alexei Evangulov clamped down on Tom's media work.
The diver won bronze in the men's 10m platform in London.
Mr Banks said: "I don't want to get into a slanging match.
"I don't understand why the finger keeps being pointed at Tom.
"Chinese stars come back home with medals and have cars, houses and millions of pounds thrown at them.
"Tom does not get any money at all from the Government. He supports himself through his celebrity work.
"We have a very strong relationship with his family and his agent and we work as a team. Splash! was tailor-made for Tom.
"The show is filmed in Plymouth during the week, but works around his training schedule.
"The live show on Saturday affects one training session but that is light-touch and has absolutely minimal effect. The hard training is done during the week."
Mr Banks said Tom took a "very mature attitude" to everything he did. "He knows exactly what it takes to compete at an elite level as a diver and is very much of the view that he wants to continue."
He added that any suggestion that Tom might quit the sport because of the row over his media work was "completely overblown".
"But what I don't want is for him not to enjoy diving.
"Our job is to make sure that he is happy, and he is. He is also a major celebrity, which is important, too – and he has achieved a medal having done that."
Mr Banks is a judge on the ITV1 show, which airs on Saturday evenings. The diving season resumes next month when Tom, 18, will compete at the British Gas Championships in Plymouth at the Life Centre from February 6-8.
Comment – Page 11
Comments
by imalady
Thursday, January 10 2013, 4:40PM
“All those of you who critise Tom are jealous. Look at footballers they train & also have media careers for goodness sake give the lad a break.”
by newjanner
Thursday, January 10 2013, 2:29PM
“Nice of Mr Banks to defend him. Then again he has also stepped on the TV gravy train so what would you expect. These minimal things he mentions are what makes the difference between champions and also rans.”
by CharlieDodd
Thursday, January 10 2013, 1:49PM
“What does dive training involve anyhow? I should think a couple of hours per week down the pool is all that's needed to do a few dozen forward somersaults or whatever, leaving the rest of the week to do TV stuff.
Any athlete will tell you TOO MUCH TRAINING can be as bad as too little, or you'll become stale and fed up”
by prophetofdoom
Thursday, January 10 2013, 1:03PM
“I like Tom Daley and wish him every success, but personally I'd like him to be thought of as a sporting great rather than as an ex sportsman with an Olympic bronze who now does telly programs. So here's hoping he can deliver in Rio.
I know Tom has a wordl title it's the Olympics that most people consider to be the pinnacle of a persons career. You don't here Matthew Pinsent being introduced as a 10 time world champion rower, it's Matt Pinsent 4 times Olympic Gold Medalist.”
by danno82
Thursday, January 10 2013, 11:54AM
“Splash was a disaster, but Tom is a Janner... Support him Plymouth!!! We should be glad something / someone positive has come from our City.”
by mofos
Thursday, January 10 2013, 10:52AM
“You guys are all pathetic!
Is the Herald not allowed to excited that we have someone who was brought up and trained in our city who is also a house hold name through out the country and most of the world (which I'd like to point out to you miserable people, it kinda makes him a celeb and a rather major one at that!)
Why are all you people ready to ***** and moan every time there's a story on him?
You don't have to watch his programs or read the articles!!
I see an awful lot of jealousy against since man and I can rest assured in the knowledge that none one of you people who put a negative comment against this guy have ever accomplished anything near to what Tom has! Let alone put the hours of training into anything near to what Tom has.
Stop making me feel ashamed to be a Plymothian guys! Respect what we have and the fact he's just an 18 year old lad trying to carve a future for him self.
Jealousy is not attractive!”
by BettyD
Thursday, January 10 2013, 9:33AM
“For gods sake Herald GIVE IT A REST!!!!!!”
by moyztedbear
Thursday, January 10 2013, 9:17AM
“the sooner td disappears into the background better”
by harrydylan
Thursday, January 10 2013, 9:11AM
“I can only assume there's big bucks on offer to all concerned as I can't see any other possible reason for wanting to be involved in such utter garbage which takes ITV Saturday night programming to a new low.”
by josdave
Thursday, January 10 2013, 8:57AM
“Tom who?”