Olympic legend Daley Thompson has won gold in the Olympic decathlon two times in the course of his career. The London-born athlete has always attracted attention from the media due to his accomplishments. This also includes his private life, like his marriage, divorce, and subsequent relationships. So, who is Daley Thompson’s first wife, and why did they divorce? This article will answer these questions and many others.
Daley Thompson
Daley Thompson is a well-rounded track and field sportsman who has participated in the Olympics and won two gold medals. His name has since been associated with greatness in the track and field category. That is why, people associated with him, like Daley Thompson’s first wife, were easily recognized by the media back then.
Birth
Daley was born in the UK 66 years ago to an impoverished family that struggled to make ends meet. Despite that, he overcame his challenges to make a name for himself on an international level.
Family Life
Daley’s life was not all bed and roses as he struggled to survive and reach where he is today. He had a British-Nigerian dad and a Scottish mum. His father, who was once imprisoned, was a minicab businessman, while his mother had several jobs. Daley’s parents enrolled him at a British boarding school when he was just seven years old. The school was for children who had a troubling childhood. Four years after he was sent away to school, Daley’s father was killed. This further increased Daley’s resilience and emotional independence.
Interest in Sports
When Daley was 17 years old, he got his set of Adidas trainers, sparking his interest in trainers. At that time, the gift was a huge deal to the young Daley. He survived on government aid, clothes, and food banks, such that getting basic amenities was a luxury to him.
Therefore, owning a pair of expensive trainers was like having a treasure of gold. The trainers further cemented his zeal to become an accomplished athlete. Daley became so attached to the trainers that he wore them to a romantic outing. His refusal to wear other trainers to the outing was covered in the media. Daley stated that he cherished those trainers more than the outcome of the outing.
Daley’s Accomplishments As An Athlete
Daley has achieved many milestones during his active years as a decathlon athlete. Notable among his accomplishments are Commonwealth titles and his two Olympic medals, won at different times. Likewise, he also beat the decathlon world record four times and got European and World titles several times. Daley’s exceptional endurance and versatility helped him a lot.
In 1975, Daley joined an Essex club to train as a runner. His coach later trained him to become a decathlon athlete instead, and he excelled despite his circumstances. He first participated in the Olympics in 1976 in Canada.
Daley’s Private Life
While Daley’s professional life was good, he had a tumultuous private life due to his numerous love affairs. His love for women in his youth was well documented. He has dated celebrities like himself and non-celebrities. When Daley was 29 years old, he married Patricia. Patricia was Daley Thompson’s first wife and the mother of his three oldest children.
A few years later, they divorced due to irreconcilable differences and moved on with their lives. Daley later acknowledged that his sports career interfered in his relationship and was partly responsible for the divorce. Still, Daley didn’t shy away from being an active father when he was not training or participating in matches.
Other Love Stories
Daley didn’t stop giving love a chance after his divorce. He had two other children from another woman after his divorce. The new relationship didn’t last as they both split. Daley got into another relationship after that, and the woman isn’t in the entertainment circle. Although Daley was married once, he has no plans of marrying again, according to him. This means that apart from Patricia being Daley Thompson’s first wife, she remains his only wife.
Relationship With His Exes and Children
Daley was extremely busy with his training and championship when he was an athlete. This left little time to bond with his family, especially his children. He was unable to balance both and ended up divorcing his first wife and separating from his girlfriend later on. His profession was also responsible for his frequent absence from him and missing some of his children’s milestones. Nevertheless, Daley maintains good relationships with the mothers of his children and his children. He expressed that his newfound love has given him more stability.
Interesting Facts About Daley
- Two of his sons are into professional sports, just like him. One of them, Elliot, is a decathlon athlete like their father. The other son plays rugby and is part of the Varsity team.
- Daley has a brand that he shares with Gary Barnshaw that sells drinks and bars aimed at athletes. He also owns a gym, which he opened more than five years ago.
- In 2024, Daley published an autobiography based on his career as an Olympic champion.
- He used to co-host a TV show with a well-known broadcaster for one year.
- He played football, but not as professionally as his decathlon sport.
Conclusion
Overall, Daley has been a role model for other upcoming decathlon athletes. He is a man of various talents and doesn’t stick to the norm. Additionally, he didn’t let his home life dictate his future and worked hard on his dreams. Daley Thompson’s first wife, Patricia, confirmed that Daley is a hard-working man.