British swimmer Noah Williams was overcome with emotion while talking about his late coach, Dave Jenkins, after he won a silver medal the 2024 Paris Olympics.
“It [the silver medal] means a lot to me,” Williams said Monday after his and swimming partner Tom Daley‘s strong performance. “From third-last to second, my coach passed away after Tokyo.
“I don’t want to talk to too much ’cause I’ll cry.”
Daley consoled Williams with a hug quickly as the interview turned emotional.
Williams said Jenkins was a mentor in his life from when he was 16 and he considered leaving the sport after his coach died. Jenkins reportedly of sudden adult death syndrome last Oct. 9, per Plymouth Live.
The pair produced a 463.44 score in the men’s synchronized 10m platform event, good enough for silver behind the dynamic duo of China, Junjie Lian and Hao Yang, whose score of 490.35 snagged gold.
Williams and Daley only recently began diving together, but the strong showing puts little doubt into how strong the two’s combined skills are.
“It’s the happiest I’ve been in diving in all these years because diving wasn’t necessarily my top priority,” Williams told reporters, according to CNN. “Of course, it is extremely important, but there is nothing more important than my children and being able to spend time with them.”
The silver medal adds to Daley’s growing collection, as the Englishman also has a gold and two bronze medals in his collection.
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After Daley won his gold medal, he celebrated overcoming adversity as an openly gay competitor to win the gold.
“When I was younger, I didn’t think I’d ever achieve anything because of who I was. To be an Olympic champion now just shows that you can achieve anything,” he said.