Every four years (or in the case of the Tokyo 2021 games, five years), the Olympics see athletes compete against one another for international glory. The Olympics are a chance to marvel at these individuals’ dedication to their sport and the discipline it took them to reach the podium.
With the focus on athletes’ performances , we usually forget to ask them what they like to do during their downtime. It may surprise you to learn that some of them enjoy indulging their crafty side when they aren’t training.
The Tokyo 2021 Olympics are unique in many ways.
After being delayed for one year due to the global COVID-19 pandemic, the games were able to go ahead in 2021 with a number of health restrictions in place.
For athletes, the extra year leading up to the games was a time for more training, and in some cases, trying out new hobbies.
For British diver Tom Daley, he picked up knitting and crocheting during the pandemic lockdowns.
Since September 2020, Tom has been sharing his knitted and crochet creations on his Instagram account @madewithlovebytomdaley.
“I started knitting at the beginning of lockdown and have been obsessed [ever] since,” he wrote in a post.
Refocusing back to Tom’s first love — diving — you might be surprised to learn that there is a connection between the two passions.
According to Tom, learning to knit and crochet actually helped his athletic performance as the crafty hobbies were a way for him to de-stress.
“The one thing that has kept me sane throughout this whole process is my love for knitting and crochet and all things stitching,” he said.
It looks like this strategy worked.
Tom and his diving partner Matty Lee won the coveted gold medal for the men’s synchronized 10-meter platform event.
To celebrate and to keep his medal free from scratches, Tom got to work right away on a custom medal “cozy” to store his gold.
Tom shared his knitted cozy on Instagram.
The knitted pouch features the designs of Great Britain and Japan’s flags. Tom showed off his gold-medal design in an Instagram video and thanked everyone who supported him with his love of diving and all things knitting and crocheting.
