Olympic diving superstar Tom Daley cycles through New Forest for Comic Relief challenge

THERE was excitement in the New Forest this morning (Wednesday) as Olympic diving superstar Tom Daley passed through on an epic challenge for Comic Relief.

Tom’s Hell of a Homecoming journey involves him rowing, cycling, swimming and running his way from the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park in Stratford to his home town of Plymouth for Red Nose Day to raise money for life-changing projects supported by the BBC appeal.

Day three of his four-day endurance got underway around 6.15am today when he pedalled from Southampton and through Totton and Cadnam before reaching Brook around 7am, Godshill around 7.30am, and then Fordingbridge.

He is set to complete a 130-mile ride from Southampton to Bovey Castle in Dartmoor National Park where he married his husband Dustin Lance Black in 2017.

Among those cheering Tom on was Clare Johnston, owner of the Gourmet Grocer in Fordingbridge. She was joined outside the High Street store by her sons Kayden (9) and Theo (10).

“It’s not every day you get to see an Olympic gold medallist cycle through your home town, so it was worth getting out of bed a little bit earlier to support his efforts for such a great cause,” she told the A&T.

“Our boys Kayden and Theo were very excited by it after witnessing his achievements during the Olympics. He’s a great role model for the younger generation.

“There was a lovely welcoming committee outside the Gourmet Grocer. Great way to start your day.”

Carolyn Payne and her son made their own special flags to wave at Tom as he biked though west Totton.

Posting on Facebook, she said: “Tom was lovely – said thank you and waved at us, smiling.

“Hoping for more TV coverage of his journey. Keep going Tom, you can do it.”

Concluding tomorrow (Thursday), Tom’s challenge is seeing him swim in open waters, cycle some of the nation’s toughest routes, row down the Thames and complete an ultra-marathon as he makes his way back home.

Tom is Team GB’s most decorated diver of all time, with 11 world, Commonwealth and European Championship gold medals and four Olympic medals. He was made an OBE in the 2022 New Year Honours for his work as a human rights activist and an LGBTQ+ campaigner.

Donate at comicrelief.com/rednoseday/challenges/tomdaley