Olympic Champion Tom Daley knits a very unusual pair of speedos – with very important message

Tom Daley, the Olympic diver, spent his first day of retirement on Brighton Beach, sporting a pair of knitted swimming trunks after his silver medal-winning performance in Paris.

After securing the silver medal for the 10m platform event with partner Noah Williams, the Olympian showed off his unconventional swimwear which had ‘Don’t Drink and Dive’ emblazoned across the backside.

While watching his teammates compete in the 2024 games, the father-of-two, who announced his retirement from diving earlier this week, returned to his knitting hobby and has also launched a line of knitwear through his clothing brand, Made with Love.

The limited-edition range carries the same ‘Don’t Drink and Dive’ message as part of Malibu’s responsible drinking campaign, in collaboration with the Royal Life Saving Society (RLSS), to raise awareness about the risks of consuming alcohol near water.

To further emphasise the message, the British diver unveiled the swimsuit next to a statue reading ‘one in four’; representing the number of alcohol-related drowning incidents in the UK.

He said: “I’ve always loved being in the water, but maybe more than most, I also understand its power and the need to respect it to stay safe. I’m proud to be working to get this message out there. Stay safe and ‘Don’t Drink and Dive’! “.

A study of 2,000 Brits has revealed that a worrying six in ten (62%) have taken a swim after consuming alcohol, despite the potential for disastrous outcomes.

The research found that over one in three (37%) drinkers believe it’s acceptable to have a drink or more before entering water, a figure that jumps to 78% among Gen-Z.

In fact, 56% of these young drinkers have consumed alcohol near a body of water in the past year, compared to an overall 31%. They are thrice as likely to have entered water post-drinking than Gen-X (29% vs 10%) in the last year, and 44% think it’s okay to swim in the shallow end as long as they’re not intoxicated.

Gen Z are also twice as likely (39% v 19%) to hold the view that it’s socially acceptable to enter water after having a drink, compared to Gen-X. However, a concerning 32% of all adult alcohol-related drowning victims were aged between 18-29, according to RLSS data.

Malibu’s Craig van Niekerk warned: “Summertime and an ice-cold drink can go hand-in-hand, so when temperatures rise, many of us may enjoy dipping our toes into water to cool off.”

“But it’s important for people to be aware of the dangers this can present, and our research has shown there’s still a number of people who don’t consider this.”

“You don’t even have to be swimming, just being near an open body of water and having an alcoholic beverage can be enough to put you in harm’s way. Staying safe this summer means keeping it fun by drinking responsibly.”

It has been revealed that the majority (80%) of adults were unaware that one in four UK drownings involved alcohol, indicating a significant lack of understanding about the risks associated with combining swimming and drinking.

Despite this, 26% of people are not worried about the dangers of swimming while consuming alcohol with friends. Furthermore, 15% fail to recognise the risk of having a drink while participating in water-based activities such as kayaking or paddleboarding.

Consequently, over the past year, one in 10 (11%) have been on a boat either during or after consuming alcohol. Additional data from the RLSS showed that between 2018 and 2023, 59% of alcohol-related drownings occurred in inland waters like rivers, canals, and lakes, posing a threat not just to those residing near the coast.

Moreover, 85% of all drowning victims are male, and shockingly, 66% of those who drowned under the influence of alcohol never planned to be in the water initially. But even without alcohol, 31% of Brits would feel comfortable entering the sea during the UK summer without an active lifeguard present.

Matt Croxall, charity director at the Royal Life Saving Society UK, commented: “Sadly, the risks of being around water under the influence of alcohol can be underestimated.”

“This campaign – whilst on the surface appearing light-hearted – seeks to resonate and deliver a lifesaving message around the importance of not drinking alcohol and getting into water in any capacity.”

“Through this initiative, we urge people to learn more about how to stay safe and enjoy water safely this summer.”

Source: Celebrities - dailystar.co.uk