Wins a gold medal at the Olympics one minute, knits a full cardigan the next. As it turns out, there’s little that Tom Daley can’t do.
The Olympics, for most, is a lofty, nebulous thing. The honour of attending — let alone reaching the podium — carries the same implausible mysticism as, say, winning an Oscar. Starring on Broadway. Earning Michelin stars. It’s an achievement that’s statistically improbable, reserved for a microscopic portion of humanity that’s somehow managed to whip into shape a heady combination of personal aptitude, grit and sheer will. Not to mention a healthy measure of Lady Luck. A perfect storm.
(Hero and featured images courtesy of @madewithlovebytomdaley)
Despite the ongoing reminder of the pandemic made explicit with every wide-angle pan showing a stadium empty of spectators, the 2020 Tokyo Olympics set the scene for a lot of happiness, too. Hong Kong’s own Cheung Ka-long’s historic win — the city’s first gold medal in a quarter of a century; the first-ever in fencing — roused a city-wide ripple of “Hurrahs!” still sounding to this day. As did swim-star Siobhan Haughey’s double silver wins, also a first for the city, and Hong Kong’s most recent bronze victories courtesy of the women’s table tennis team and Grace Lau for karate.
Another beaming ray of sunshine in a dreary, impossible moment in history? Great Britain’s Tom Daley being a damn good sport. Daley — Olympic gold medalist for synchronised diving, husband, father and all-round heartthrob — adds yet another notch to his laundry list of greats: a very talented knitter.
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In yet another instalment of ‘They’re Just Like Us: Celebrity Edition,’ Daley’s enthusiasm for knitting — tirelessly documented at a dedicated Instagram: @madewithlovebytomdaley — is likely borne out of the same restlessness that befell the rest of us intra-pandemic. You know, when you decided it was a good idea to start gardening; tie-dying. Making baking trays of sourdough after sourdough.
But, as expected with a literal Olympian, Daley does it better. His cardigans, dog sweaters and, even, little cat couches are picture-perfect and absolutely worthy of the same crazed fervour we harboured when we all flocked towards ‘How To: Knit’ YouTube videos after Harry Styles wore that patchworked, TikTok-famous JW Anderson cardigan.
Now, for those who think they could be as good as knitting as an Olympian gold medalist — well, the first step is always the hardest. These following kits will help.
Shop knitting kits for beginners
This article first appeared on Lifestyle Asia Hong Kong.
