NEW YORK : Meteoric early fame took a toll on British diving great Tom Daley, the retired former Olympic champion told Reuters, reflecting on the intense pressure of his early days as a teen idol with more sympathy for himself now he is a parent.

The 31-year-old Daley retired from competitive sport last year after collecting silver - his fifth Olympic medal - in the 10-metre synchro in Paris, having spent more than half his life in the public eye.

A documentary "1.6 Seconds", released this week on streaming service HBO Max, chronicles Daley's breathtaking rise to fame as a 14-year-old Olympian through his difficult days of childhood bullying and his father's death when the diver was a teenager.

"I would look back at that and I feel sorry for the young Tom a little bit, just to be like,

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