Tom Daley shows the bullies how it's done
Tom Daley pulled off a near-perfect dive to take the title
Teenage diver Tom Daley has overcome school bullying and Olympic disappointment to take gold at his first world championships.
The 15 year old pulled off a near-perfect reverse three and a half somersault tuck to win the ten-metre platform event at the FINA World Championships at Rome's Foro Italico.
Speaking after his win, Daley said: "To come away with a gold medal was unthinkable. It still hasn't sunk in. It makes all the sacrifices worthwhile. Now I want to do it again in 2012."
At last year's Beijing Olympics, Daley – then 14 – had a rather public falling out with his synchronised diving partner Blake Aldridge and lost out on a medal, finishing in eighth place.
Then in April this year, his parents chose to take him out of his Plymouth school when bullies, rallied by the publicity he received in Beijing, made his life a misery and even threatened to break his legs.
His victory may now allow Daley to put these memories behind him and focus on the London Olympics.
Last year the BBC reported a rise in youngsters taking up diving since British medal wins at the Olympics and the 2002 Commonwealth Games.
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