Olympics star Tom Daley explained how he deals with 20-year age gap to husband

Tom Daley doesn't notice the 20-year age gap that exists between him and his husband. The diver, 30, is preparing to take part in his fifth Olympic Games in Paris when he competes in the Men's Synchronized 10m Platform alongside team-mate Noah Williams on Monday (July 29).

The Plymouth native - who won gold in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics - has been married to Dustin Lance Black since 2017. Lance Black, 50, is an American screenwriter, director and producer.

The couple have dated since 2013 and now share two children. Daley has remained unbothered about their age gap, previously admitting that they don't even notice it. Speaking to the Guardian back in 2021, the five-time Olympian said understood that the outside world have their opinions but it never seeps into their household.

"One thing I learned early on is not to care what other people think," the Brit said. "That’s been useful since I’ve been with my husband. I’m 27, he is 47. People have their opinions, but we don’t notice the age gap. When you fall in love, you fall in love."

The diver went as far to say he felt older than his other half back in 2017 – the year they got hitched – admitting that his early start in competition forced him to grow up earlier during childhood.

Daley, who was just 14 at his first Olympic Games in Beijing, told the Belfast Telegraph: "I don’t really think about age and we never notice the age gap. Funnily enough, I feel older in terms of maturity. I had to grow up quickly because I was only 10 when I first travelled to Australia without my parents to compete.

"In a way, I did miss out on some aspects of childhood because I had to learn to do things for myself and stand on my own two feet quite quickly, but, on the other hand, I was so lucky to be able to travel and have so many experiences."

Daley opened up about his whirlwind romance with Black which he said was a "real love at first sight thing". He explained: "The first night I took him to meet my friends [eight weeks after meeting] and said: ‘This is my boyfriend’. The next night we went on our first date. The next night, after a couple of lychee martinis, he told me he loved me.

"He extended his trip. We were already talking about babies and weddings – that was in the first week." In what could be his last Olympics, Daley said the presence of his children in France is rewarding enough, should he not retain his gold medal.

"For me, the Olympic gold medal this time is having my kids there to watch," he said. "I know lots of people will be, ‘If it’s going to be anything less than gold, will it be a disappointment?’ Well actually, ‘no’. This time around I’m really proud that I was able to take two years off, set my mind to something, work really hard for it and get there."