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.
Joey Wong
Editor
Retired Tumblr girl Joey has written her way through fashion trends, youth culture and luxury retail in New York and Hong Kong. Beyond internet adventures tracking down the perfect vintage find, you can probably catch her tufting rugs, swigging back Bloody Marys — her third, probably — and making fastidious spreadsheets about her Animal Crossing island.
