I could not imagine being the youngest competitor at the Olympics, but 14 year old British diver Tom Daley knows exactly what it feels like. He also, apparently, knows what it feels like to have your partner in synchronized diving pick you up and throw you directly under the tires on the bus. After having their medal hopes eliminated by finishing 8th in last place, Blake Aldridge said this about his 14 year old partner:
"It's a synchro team, there's two of us, and that's the hard thing about it. Both of you have to be on your game at the same time and that just didn't happen today. Thomas is 14 years old... I knew, going into this Olympic Games, that we were capable of a medal, but I also knew that it depended on how Tom performed. I wasn't on the top of my game, but I out-dived Thomas today and that's not something that normally happens. That to me is because he had a lot more pressure on him than I did. I'm not disappointed with my performance. I wasn't at my best but I landed on my head with every single dive, which was my aim. But it was hard work for me today. Tom was very nervous, more so than ever before. I think he really struggled to get through the competition, and as his partner it was hard for me to get up there and try and ease him into it. Unfortunately for me, it didn't work today." He then added "He had a pop at me before the last dive, when we were sitting down. I saw my mum in the audience and I asked her to give me a call and Tom went to me, 'Why are you on the phone? We're still in the competition and we've got another dive to do.' That's just Thomas - he's over-nervous and that's how it was today. Thomas should not be worrying about what I'm doing, but today he was worrying about everyone and everything and that to me is really the sole reason why he didn't perform today."
It could have been worse, but for a 14 year old that is pretty harsh. I think even getting to the Olympics is winning when you are 14, but I guess that is why I am not a champion. He should have just said "Yeah Tom folded like an Accordion. I was perfect but he fucked it up for us and our country. All of our hard work is ruined because of Tom's shitty diving."
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