Daley Thompson facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Daley Thompson
CBE

Thompson at the Laureus Day in June 2007
Personal information
Nationality	British
Born	(1958-07-30) 30 July 1958 (age 66) 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 British athlete. He was born on July 30, 1958. He is best known for being an amazing decathlete.

A decathlon is a tough athletics event. Athletes compete in ten different track and field events over two days. Daley Thompson won the gold medal in the decathlon at the Olympic Games twice. He won 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 Thompson is one of the best decathletes ever. He won four world records, two Olympic gold medals, and three Commonwealth titles. He also won the World and European Championships. His autobiography, Daley: Olympic Superstar, came out in 2024.

Early Life and School

Daley Thompson was born in Notting Hill, London. His father, Frank Thompson, was British Nigerian. His mother, Lydia, was Scottish. When Daley was seven, his mother sent him to Farney Close Boarding School in Bolney, Sussex. He called it "a place for troubled children."

Daley's first dream was to become a professional footballer. But later, he became very interested in athletics. His first name, Ayodélé, is a Yoruba word. It means "joy comes home."

Athletics Career

Starting Out in Athletics

Daley Thompson 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 in Cwmbran, Wales, and won! He also won his next competition. In 1976, he won the AAA title. He was only 18 when he competed at 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: 1980-1986

Daley Thompson started the 1980 Olympic season with a new world record. He scored 8,648 points at Götzis, Austria. Then, he won the gold medal at the Moscow Olympics.

In 1982, he was in amazing shape. He broke his own world record again at Götzis, scoring 8,730 points. In September, at the European Championships in Athens, he set another record with 8,774 points. The next month, he won his second Commonwealth title in Brisbane.

In 1983, Thompson won the first ever World Championships. This made him the first decathlete to hold many major titles at once. He held 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 together.

In 1984, Thompson prepared for the Los Angeles Olympics. Many people thought Jürgen Hingsen from West Germany would be a big challenge. But Thompson took the lead early and kept it. He almost tied the world record, missing it by just one point. However, after checking the photo-finish pictures, it was found he had actually equaled Hingsen's record!

Later, with new scoring rules, Thompson became the sole record holder again. His score was 8,847 points. This world record lasted until 1992. Only two other athletes, Bob Mathias and Ashton Eaton, have won two Olympic decathlon gold medals like Thompson. His 1984 performance is still the UK record.

Later Career: 1987-1990

Thompson won his third Commonwealth title in 1986. He also won another European Championship. After this, he didn't quite reach his earlier amazing form. In 1987, he lost a decathlon 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 due to an injury.

Rivalry with Jürgen Hingsen

Daley Thompson had a famous rivalry with West German athlete Jürgen Hingsen. They often broke each other's world records. But Thompson always won the big competitions. He was undefeated for nine years between 1978 and 1987.

Commercials and Games

Daley Thompson was also famous for appearing in commercials. He was in ads for the drink Lucozade in the 1980s. His name was used for three computer games: Daley Thompson's Decathlon, Daley Thompson's Supertest, and Daley Thompson's Olympic Challenge. He also works as a brand ambassador for a travel agency.

Personal Best Scores

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

After Athletics

Daley Thompson had to stop competing in athletics in 1992. This was because of a long-lasting hamstring injury. In the 1990s, he played football for a short time. He played for reserve teams like Mansfield Town and first-team games for Non-League clubs like Stevenage F.C. and Ilkeston F.C..

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

He also worked as a fitness coach for football clubs. These included Wimbledon F.C. and Luton Town. In 1994, he even tried motorsport, racing in the Ford Credit Fiesta Challenge Championship. Thompson also became a fitness trainer and speaker.

Thompson was an ambassador for the London 2012 Summer Olympics. He helped show how hosting the Olympics could help education and school sports. He also appeared in the 2011 TV series Jamie's Dream School.

In 2015, Thompson opened his own gym called Daley Fitness in London. In 2018, he started a company called DT10 Sports. They create and sell healthy protein shakes and sports bars.

Public Image and Awards

Daley Thompson was known for his fun personality. He was a natural showman who was popular with the British public. He won the BBC Sports Personality of the Year award in 1982. He was also given important awards for his achievements. He became an MBE in 1983 and a CBE in 2000.

In August 2014, Thompson was one of 200 public figures. They signed a letter to The Guardian newspaper. The letter shared their hope that Scotland would stay part of the United Kingdom. This was before the referendum that September.

In 2015, Thompson co-hosted a radio show on talkSPORT once a week. He worked with Colin Murray until Murray left the station.

Family Life

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

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

See also

In Spanish: Daley Thompson para niños

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