Olympics News: Aldridge Blames Daley For Last Finish

Mikk · 08-11-2008, 05:56 PM

From: BBC

Quote:

Blake Aldridge has put the blame on partner Tom Daley after the British pair finished in last place in the 10m synchronised diving at the Olympics.
Aldridge, 26, and 14-year-old prodigy Daley were not expected to win a medal but put in a below-par performance.
"I didn't blow anything, so I can go home happy," said Aldridge.
"Unfortunately it's a partnership, you both have to be on the top of your game. I wasn't on top of my game but Tom was nowhere near the top of his."
Daley has enjoyed a phenomenal rise, winning the individual European title and becoming Britain's second youngest male Olympian.
That has led to a huge amount of attention on the teenager, who has even caught the eye of the international media in Beijing.
He and Aldridge were considered outside chances to win a medal in the synchronised diving - which only includes eight teams - but they were out of sorts on Monday.

Aldridge revealed the pair had a spat between the fifth and final dives of the competition.
"There was a little incident but it is an Olympic Games, you are in a different world and people are going to do things differently," he said.
"He had a pop at me before the last dive. I saw my mum in the audience and I asked her to give me a call and Tom went to me 'Why are you on the phone? We're still in the competition and we've got another dive to do.'
"That's just Thomas - he's over-nervous. Thomas should not be worrying about what I'm doing but he was worrying about everyone and everything and that to me is really the sole reason why he didn't perform."
As China eased to the gold medal with 468.18 points ahead of Germany and Russia, the British pair were some way adrift with 408.48 points in eighth.
They were joint third after the first dive but several botched entries into the water saw them penalised heavily in the ensuing five rounds and they quickly slipped out of contention.
"I knew we were capable of a medal but I knew it would depend on how Tom performed," said Aldridge.
"I wasn't on the top of my game, but I out-dived Thomas and that's not something that normally happens.
"That to me is because he had a lot more pressure on him than I did.
"It was hard work for me today. Tom was very nervous, more so than ever before. I think he really struggled to get through the competition.
"I certainly think the media played a part in that and also just the Olympic Games, it is a massive event.
"The reason it didn't come together was that we didn't bounce off each other. We didn't have that fun aspect to it that we would normally have."
Daley admitted he had felt nervous, but said both he and Aldridge were to blame.
"We just had a bad day," he said. "We didn't dive very well, it was quite disappointing.
"There was a lot of pressure on me and I was very nervous. But it's an experience which will be good for 2012."
Olympic silver medallist Leon Taylor, who acts as mentor to Tom Daley as well as the rest of the British diving team, said he was surprised by Aldridge's remarks.

But he added: "In the heat of the moment, people say funny things.
"Synchronised diving is a partnership and the last thing you need to be doing is apportioning blame.
"The important thing now is that they regroup and learn the lessons."
Daley will return to the Water Cube on Friday 22 August when he will attempt to qualify for the individual final.
The Plymouth teenager has insisted all along that his focus was on gaining experience in Beijing ahead of the London Olympics in four years' time when he is expected to be one of Britain's brightest medal hopes.
"I really enjoyed myself and had so much fun out there," he said.
"That is all you can ask for getting the experience of it. We prepared like a normal competition and we treated it like a normal competition.
"It was just the fact it wasn't our day today, we just had a bad day."
Aldridge, 26, is not competing in the individual event so his Olympics are over.
"Unfortunately I don't have another chance. I'm a little bit disappointed," he said.
"I'm happy with the way I dived. It was a great experience to get out there in the Olympic Games and unfortunately we didn't place where we could have placed."

What a knob head.

Seriously, the kid is only 14 and he's getting the blame from his so called partner? I wouldn't be surprised if he didn't dive with him again after this and it was an event where 2 people were diving so he can't take all the blame for it.

Daley is surely allowed to be a little nervous as he is only a kid and he's been so far nothing but professional.

I hope now Daley goes into the rest of the events and wins them to show his partner up.

Silleh Willeh · 08-11-2008, 06:03 PM

He has one event left & he has a lower chance of winning than he did today. I can kinda see where this guy is coming from, I would be annoyed if my partner didn't perform well on the Olympic Stage but he could of done it in a better manner. Maybe a quiet word in his ear instead of a public show would of been more suitable.

The Phantom · 08-11-2008, 06:03 PM

Seriously though, you'd be pretty pissed off if you were paired off with a 14 year old. Daley even admitted that this was just a warm up for 2012.. Blake Aldridge may never get that opportunity again.

He was probably pissed off about the media circus around the Daley too. They didn’t want to know who he was.

It may not be the correct reaction in public, but I can see where Blake Aldridge is coming from. I feel for the guy.

Tyler Durden · 08-11-2008, 06:09 PM

Don't know anything about diving, but did these two "team up" of their own accord, or were they thrust together by selectors.

If it's the former I have no sympathy, the latter, I have a little.

Mikk · 08-11-2008, 06:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tyler Durden
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Don't know anything about diving, but did these two "team up" of their own accord, or were they thrust together by selectors.

If it's the former I have no sympathy, the latter, I have a little.

By the sounds of that article, it might be they choose who their partners are but i don't know.

Tyler Durden · 08-11-2008, 06:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mikk
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By the sounds of that article, it might be they choose who their partners are but i don't know.

Lol, well I congratulate you on upping your post count just to tell me that you don't know!

Mikk · 08-11-2008, 06:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tyler Durden
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Lol, well I congratulate you on upping your post count just to tell me that you don't know!

Well the way it seems is they do pick their partners as they said they team up in other competitions.

So, the short of it, i still don't know
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Tyler Durden · 08-11-2008, 06:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mikk
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Well the way it seems is they do pick their partners as they said they team up in other competitions.

So, the short of it, i still don't know
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Wow now double posting just to confirm lack of knowledge.

You have learnt well young Mikk

Mikk · 08-11-2008, 06:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tyler Durden
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Wow now double posting just to confirm lack of knowledge.

You have learnt well young Mikk

Well i learn from the best TD, you
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Tyler Durden · 08-11-2008, 06:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mikk
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Well i learn from the best TD, you
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I'm blushing now.

On the buttocks

Olympics News: Aldridge Blames Daley For Last Finish

This is a discussion on Olympics News: Aldridge Blames Daley For Last Finish within the European Sports forums, part of the Sports Forums category; From: BBC Blake Aldridge has put the blame on partner Tom Daley after the British pair finished in last place ...