Tom Daley splashes down at Heathrow – receiving a hero’s welcome

British Olympian Tom Daley appeared in high spirits as he landed at Heathrow Airport from Tokyo last night.

The gold medallist, 27, who became the first British diver to win four Olympic medals this month, waved to the crowds as he returned home with his medals.

The athlete’s arrival comes after he won his long-sought Olympic gold medal alongside athlete Matty Lee in the men’s 10 metre synchronised platform last month.

As he arrived at Heathrow, Daley beamed with joy as he took pictures with fans and members of staff who cheered his success in the Olympic games. 

This week, the Olympic athlete finished third in the men’s 10 metres platform event behind Chinese pair Yang Jian, who took silver and Cao Yuan who won the gold, despite a near-faultless display in the men’s 10 metre platform.  

British Olympic star Tom Daley appeared in high spirits arrived at Heathrow Airport yesterday

Daley hugged fans and showed his medals following his success in the Olympic Games in Tokyo

Daley led at the halfway stage after three successive 90-plus points scores but dipped below that standard of excellence with an 80.5 from his armstand back three somersaults with pike, which saw him slip off the pace.

While Daley rallied in his last two dives, an overall score of 548.25 was only good enough for a third-place finish as Cao Yuan (582.35) took the gold medal, with Chinese compatriot Yang Jian (580.4) collecting silver. 

This result handed Daley, who made his Olympic debut when he was just 14, his third Olympic bronze and one gold medal. 

The star later told the BBC: ‘I’m so happy. Back in May I didn’t know if I would make it to the Games. If someone had told me then I’d win a gold and a bronze I would probably have laughed in their face. 

‘I’m extremely happy with a gold and a bronze and I’m so overwhelmed with all the love and support back home. 

‘It was close all the way through (the final) with the Chinese pair but they pulled away from me in the fourth round.’ 

The athlete took pictures with members of staff at the airport as they cheered his success 

Daley, who made his Olympic debut when he was just 14, won his long-sought Olympic gold medal alongside athlete Matty Lee in Tokyo last month

Daley won the bronze medal this week as China claimed a famous one-two in a near-faultless display at the Tokyo Aquatics Centre

The scenes come after the Olympic star spoke out against Russian state TV after it made a number of homophobic attacks during the Olympics.

Channel Rossiya 1 made a number of bigoted slurs against Daley during the Tokyo Games, as well as against other LGBT athletes, by referring to homosexuality as an ‘abomination’ and a ‘perversion’.

MP Alexei Zhuravlyov also pointed at a screen showing New Zealand trans athlete Laurel Hubbard, referring to her participation as ‘smut and perversion.’ 

Speaking in response to the remarks, Daley said: ‘I had no idea. When we’re at the Olympics, we’re in a bubble and we don’t really see anything.

‘History shows that everything that society is has been dictated from the straight, white, male experience.

‘If we could come together and use different points of view, the world would be a better place.’

This month, the British diver, who delighted fans all over the world by knitting poolside, showcased his finished Team GB cardigan in Tokyo as he fundraised for The Brain Tumour Charity in memory of his late father Robert.

Wow: The British diver, 27, who claimed a gold medal in the men’s synchronised 10m platform last week, looked delighted as he showcased the garment’s Team GB and Olympic logos, having delighted fans all over the world by knitting poolside

Posting on his Made With Love By Tom Daley knitting page, he wrote: ‘When I got to Tokyo, I wanted to make something that would remind me of the Olympics to look back on in the future.  

‘I designed a pattern for the colour work that would signify everything about these games!

‘On the back I went for a classic @teamgb logo, the shoulders have a flag and GBR on them. For the front I wanted to keep it simple and I tried my best to embroider TOKYO in Japanese!What do you think?!

‘Since my knitting page is gaining momentum, I wanted to take the opportunity to try and raise some money for the @thebraintumourcharity in memory of my Dad! Any donations would be greatly appreciated.’ 

The star, who has previously auctioned off a jumper in aid of The Brain Tumour Charity, is now fundraising again in memory of his beloved father Robert Daley, who died following a battle with brain cancer in 2011 aged 40.