Daley Thompson facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Daley Thompson
CBE

Thompson at the Laureus Day in June 2007
Personal information
Born	(1958-07-30) 30 July 1958 (age 67) Notting Hill, London, England
Height	6 ft 0 in (1.83 m)
Weight	14 st 7 lb
Sport
Sport	Decathlon
Club	Essex Beagles
Achievements and titles
Personal best(s)	Decathlon 8,847 points
Medal record International athletics competitions Event 1st 2nd 3rd Olympic Games 2 0 0 World Championships 1 0 0 European Championships 2 1 1 Commonwealth Games 3 1 0 Total 8 2 1 Men's athletics Representing  Great Britain Olympic Games Gold 1980 Moscow Decathlon Gold 1984 Los Angeles Decathlon World Championships Gold 1983 Helsinki Decathlon European Championships Gold 1982 Athens Decathlon Gold 1986 Stuttgart Decathlon Silver 1978 Prague Decathlon Bronze 1986 Stuttgart 4 × 100 m Representing  England Commonwealth Games Gold 1978 Edmonton Decathlon Gold 1982 Brisbane Decathlon Gold 1986 Edinburgh Decathlon Silver 1986 Edinburgh 4 × 100 m

CBE ribbon

Francis Morgan Ayodélé Thompson, also known as Daley Thompson, is a famous English athlete. He was born on July 30, 1958. He is best known for competing in the decathlon, a tough event with ten different track and field challenges. Daley won two gold medals at the Olympic Games in 1980 and 1984. He also broke the world record for the decathlon four times! For nine years, he was unbeatable in competitions.

Many people think Daley Thompson is one of the greatest decathletes ever. He won four world records, two Olympic golds, and titles at the Commonwealth Games, World Athletics Championships, and European Championships in Athletics. He was called "the greatest all-round athlete this country has ever produced" by The Independent newspaper.

Early Life and School

Daley Thompson was born in Notting Hill, London. His father, Frank Thompson, was British Nigerian and ran a taxi business. His mother, Lydia, was Scottish. When Daley was six, his father left home. At seven, Daley went to Farney Close Boarding School in Bolney, Sussex. He described it as a school for "troubled children."

Daley's first name, Ayodelé, comes from the Yoruba language. It means "joy comes home." When he was younger, Daley wanted to be a professional footballer. But later, he changed his focus to athletics.

Daley Thompson's Athletics Career

Starting Out in Decathlon

Daley first joined the Haywards Heath Harriers club. In 1975, he moved to London and joined the Newham and Essex Beagles Athletics club. He started training as a sprinter. His coach, Bob Mortimer, suggested he try the decathlon. Daley competed in his first decathlon that same year in Cwmbran, Wales, and he won! He also won his next competition.

In 1976, Daley won the AAA title. He was only 18 when he competed in the Montréal Olympic Games. The next year, he won the European Junior title. In 1978, he won his first of three Commonwealth titles.

Breaking Records and Winning Gold

Daley started the 1980 Olympic season by setting a new world decathlon record. He scored 8,648 points in Götzis, Austria. After this, he won the gold medal at the Moscow Olympics.

In 1982, Daley was in amazing form. He broke his own world record again in Götzis, scoring 8,730 points. Then, at the European Championships in Athens, he improved the record to 8,774 points. The next month, he won his second Commonwealth title in Brisbane.

In 1983, Daley won the very first World Championships. This made him the first decathlete to hold the European, World, and Olympic titles all at the same time! He was also the first athlete in any event to hold Olympic, World, continental, and Commonwealth Games titles at once.

The 1984 Olympics and a New Record

In 1984, Daley spent a lot of time in California getting ready for the Olympics. Many people thought Jürgen Hingsen from West Germany, who had recently broken Daley's world record, would be a big challenge. But Daley took the lead in the very first event and never lost it.

It looked like he missed tying the world record by just one point. But after checking the photo-finish pictures, they found he should have gotten one more point in the 110 metres hurdles. This meant he had actually tied Hingsen's record! When new scoring rules were introduced, Daley became the only record holder again with 8,847 points. This world record stood until 1992.

Daley Thompson is one of only three athletes to win two Olympic decathlon gold medals. His 1984 performance is still the UK record.

Later Career and Injuries

Daley won his third Commonwealth title in 1986. He also won another European Championship. But after that, he didn't quite reach his earlier amazing form. In 1987, he lost a decathlon competition for the first time in nine years. He finished ninth in the World Championships. At his fourth Olympics in Seoul in 1988, he finished fourth. He was chosen for the Commonwealth Games team in 1990 but had to pull out because of an injury.

Rivalry with Jürgen Hingsen

Daley Thompson had a famous rivalry with West German athlete Jürgen Hingsen throughout the 1980s. They often traded world records back and forth. However, Daley always won the big competitions. He remained undefeated for nine years between 1978 and 1987.

Personal Best Performances

Here are some of Daley Thompson's best performances in different events:

After Athletics

Football and Coaching

Daley Thompson had to stop competing in athletics in 1992 because of a hamstring injury. In the 1990s, he played football for reserve teams like Mansfield Town. He also played for non-league teams such as Stevenage Borough and Ilkeston.

He also worked as a fitness coach for football clubs like Wimbledon and Luton Town.

Motor Racing

After athletics, Daley Thompson also tried motor racing. In 1993, he raced a Peugeot 106 in the National Saloon Car Cup. He won his class at Thruxton. He also took part in the 1994 Ford Credit Fiesta Challenge Championship.

Other Activities

Daley Thompson has worked as a fitness trainer and a motivational speaker. He also appears at corporate events. In 1994, he trained with Reading Football Club.

He was an ambassador for the London 2012 Summer Olympics. He helped show how hosting the Olympics could help education and sports in schools. In 2015, Daley opened his own gym called Daley Fitness in London. In 2018, he started DT10 Sports with chef Gary Barnshaw, selling healthy protein shakes and sports bars.

In April 2025, Daley Thompson appeared as a housemate on the twenty-fourth series of Celebrity Big Brother.

Personal Life

Daley Thompson has two children with his girlfriend Lisa and three children with his ex-wife Tish. His sons, Elliot and Alex, are also involved in sports. Elliot Thompson became the national decathlon champion at the 2022 British Athletics Championships. This was 46 years after his father won his first national title. Alex plays rugby for the University of Bath and England Sevens.

Daley's autobiography, Daley: Olympic Superstar, was published in 2024. A documentary film about his life, also called Daley: Olympic Superstar, became available on the BBC in July 2024.

Images for kids

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  Thompson (third from left, front row) standing next to Ed Moses at the 2006 Laureus Day held at the Ham Polo Club, London

See also

In Spanish: Daley Thompson para niños