Diver Daley talks about father’s death

Olympic hopeful Tom Daley has given an emotional account about the death of his father.

The diver recalled how he broke down and sobbed at his father Rob’s bedside, holding his hand for half-an-hour after he died.

The 17-year-old has dedicated his performance at the 2012 Games to his dad, saying that every time he emerges from the water he expects to see him at the poolside. In his book, My Story, which has been serialised in a Sunday newspaper, the teen retraces painful memories about his father’s protracted illness.

Mr Daley had vowed to survive long enough to watch Tom compete in the Olympics, but the 40-year-old was denied his dream when he died peacefully with his family at his bedside in May last year.

Mr Daley followed his son’s promising career around the world despite his illness and had become a familiar figure at the poolside.

He was first diagnosed in 2006 with a fist-sized brain tumour, of which surgeons were originally able to remove 80 per cent.

But the tumour returned and his health had deteriorated since February 2011.

Daley is among Britain’s best hopes for a gold rush at the Games later this year.

“As I climb out of the water, I always think about Dad,” he wrote.