Tom Daley has posted what at first looks like an advert for a liquor brand to his social media.
However, the ending actually delivers a very serious message — and one that might save lives.
How about we take this to the next level?
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The video starts with the British diver walking beside a pool. He’s carrying a drink and wearing a gown with a logo for the alcohol brand Malibu.
He hands his beverage to someone then hops up on a diving board. Discarding his gown, we see he’s wearing a pair of knitted, red swimming briefs.
Approaching the end of the diving board, he then spots a warning written on the bottom of the pool. It says, “1 in 4 UK drowning involve alcohol.”
That’s a very sobering statistic (no pun intended) and definitely something to bear in mind as heat waves blast parts of the world and people knock back cocktails on their beach vacations.
Daley turns around to reveal a message on his swimming trunks saying “Don’t drink and dive.”
Drownings triple during extreme heat conditions
The promo, although sponsored by Malibu, is to raise awareness of a campaign launched by a charity, the Royal Life Saving Society UK. It says accidental drownings triple in number during extreme heat conditions.
Clearly, alcohol can also sometimes cloud judgment about when it’s safe to swim or impair one’s ability.
Daley says his “Made with Love” knitting label has created a limited range of knitted beachwear with the “Don’t Drink and Dive” slogan. A cut of the proceeds will go to the charity.
Daley retires and husband pays tribute
Daley, 30, announced Monday that he’s retiring from diving after recently winning a silver medal at the Paris Olympics.
That medal was his fifth, after previously winning a gold and three bronzes across a career that included five Olympic games.
He is widely recognized as one of the most successful gay athletes of all time.
Daley became emotional when asked about his decision to retire by the BBC when he disembarked the Eurostar train in London.
This is an emotional watch!
— BBC Sport (@BBCSport) August 12, 2024
Tom Daley spoke to the BBC moments after announcing he will retire from diving. #BBCOlympics #Olympics #Paris2024 pic.twitter.com/hZfHABBpN0
“You did it, Tom. You did it all.”
Among those to pay tribute to Daley was his husband, screenwriter and producer Dustin Lance Black.
“It has been the honor of my life to be by your side on this magnificent journey, Tom. You are a shining example that true warriors can also have true hearts,” Black said in a heartfelt Instagram post.
“As you now hang up your trunks, I will deeply miss supporting your ‘impossible’ diving dreams in whatever small ways I could over the past 10+ years, and screaming like a mad man as you turned every single one of those dreams into reality.
“I also feel certain you have a long list of new ‘impossible’ dreams, and I will be there by your side all the way, baby.
“For now, I am going to look back with joy and love (and more than a few tears) at some old photos of the early days when I first had the tremendous good fortune to witness a warrior fight to achieve the ‘impossible.’
“You did it, Tom. You did it all. I love you so much.”
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Tom Daley gets teary-eyed as he announces his retirement from diving
We love you, Tom Daley!
Clubs and bars in this state must now offer kits to check drinks aren’t spiked
The kits will test for ketamine, GHB, and Rohypnol.
Pietro D
Thank God he’s retiring and I hope it’s the end of hearing about him non-stop.
ENOUGH is ENOUGH…… move on to the next wannabe!
OzJay
YOU clicked on an article about someone who apparently loathe, when you could have moved on. YOU expended the effort to make a bitchy comment, rather than say nothing. YOU are the problem here, not the successful diver, businessman, parent, etc. Pull your head in.
hey scotty
olympic champion with nothing left to prove to anyone, retires. well deserved and best wishes.