After watching the poster boy of London 2012 as a kid, Williams now has the chance to compete alongside him in Paris

Noah Williams was only 12 when he went to watch Tom Daley – then the fresh-faced 18-year-old poster boy of London 2012 – claim an extraordinary bronze medal in the 10m platform dive. He admits now that he had little idea that 12 years later he would be gearing up to partner Daley in the synchronised 10m platform at Paris 2024, but says he always thought he would be an Olympian.

“I was a bit delusional when I was younger, I thought I was going to make the Olympics easily,” says the 24-year-old with a wry grin. “I think that helped me because if I had realised how far off the Olympics and how much work I had to put in to get to where I am now, I think I probably would have quit. I thought I was so close to making it, even though I was nowhere near.”