Editing Daley Thompson

{{short description|English decathlete (born 1958)}}
{{Use British English|date=July 2024}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2025}}
{{Infobox sportsperson
| name = Daley Thompson 
| honorific_suffix = {{post-nominals|country=GBR|CBE}}
| image = Daley Thomson 2007 Laureus day.jpg
| imagesize = 200px
| caption = Thompson at the [[Laureus World Sports Awards|Laureus Day]] in June 2007
| nationality = British
| full_name = Francis Morgan Ayodélé Thompson
| birth_date ={{Birth date and age|df=y|1958|7|30}}<ref name=sports-reference>{{cite Sports-Reference |title=Daley Thompson |url=https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/th/daley-thompson-1.html |access-date=22 May 2015 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150522222310/http://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/th/daley-thompson-1.html |archive-date=22 May 2015 }}</ref>
| birth_place = [[Notting Hill]], London, England<ref name=sports-reference/>
| death_date = 
| death_place =
| residence = 
| height =  {{height|ft=6|in=0}}<ref name=sports-reference/>
| weight = 14 st 7 lb<ref name=sports-reference/>
| sport = [[Decathlon]]
| event =  
| club = [[Newham and Essex Beagles|Essex Beagles]]
| collegeteam =
| pb = '''Decathlon''' 8,847 points
| show-medals    = yes
| medaltemplates = 
{{Medal|Competition|[[List of international athletics competitions|International athletics competitions]]}}
{{MedalCount
|[[Summer Olympics|Olympic Games]]|2|0|0
|[[IAAF World Championships in Athletics|World Championships]]|1|0|0
|[[European Athletics Championships|European Championships]]|2|1|1
|[[Commonwealth Games]]|3|1|0
|'''Total'''|'''8'''|'''2'''|'''1'''
}}
{{Medal|Sport|Men's [[athletics (sport)|athletics]]}}
{{Medal|Country |{{GBR2}}}}
{{Medal|Competition|[[Athletics at the Summer Olympics|Olympic Games]]}}
{{Medal|Gold|[[1980 Summer Olympics|1980 Moscow]]|[[Athletics at the 1980 Summer Olympics – Men's decathlon|Decathlon]]}}
{{Medal|Gold|[[1984 Summer Olympics|1984 Los Angeles]]|[[Athletics at the 1984 Summer Olympics – Men's decathlon|Decathlon]]}}
{{Medal|Competition|[[IAAF World Championships in Athletics|World Championships]]}}
{{Medal|Gold|[[1983 World Championships in Athletics|1983 Helsinki]]|[[1983 World Championships in Athletics – Men's decathlon|Decathlon]]}}
{{Medal|Comp|[[European Athletics Championships|European Championships]]}}
{{Medal|Gold|[[1982 European Athletics Championships|1982 Athens]]|[[1982 European Athletics Championships – Men's decathlon|Decathlon]]}}
{{Medal|Gold|[[1986 European Athletics Championships|1986 Stuttgart]]|[[1986 European Athletics Championships – Men's decathlon|Decathlon]]}}
{{Medal|Silver|[[1978 European Athletics Championships|1978 Prague]]|[[1978 European Athletics Championships – Men's decathlon|Decathlon]]}}
{{Medal|Bronze|[[1986 European Athletics Championships|1986 Stuttgart]]|[[1986 European Athletics Championships – Men's 4 × 100 metres relay|4×100 m]]}}
{{Medal|Country|{{ENG}}}}
{{Medal|Comp|[[Athletics at the Commonwealth Games|Commonwealth Games]]}}
{{Medal|Gold|[[1978 Commonwealth Games|1978 Edmonton]]|[[Athletics at the 1978 Commonwealth Games – Men's decathlon|Decathlon]]}}
{{Medal|Gold|[[1982 Commonwealth Games|1982 Brisbane]]|[[Athletics at the 1982 Commonwealth Games – Men's decathlon|Decathlon]]}}
{{Medal|Gold|[[1986 Commonwealth Games|1986 Edinburgh]]|[[Athletics at the 1986 Commonwealth Games – Men's decathlon|Decathlon]]}}
{{Medal|Silver|1986 Edinburgh|[[Athletics at the 1986 Commonwealth Games – Men's 4 × 100 metres relay|4×100 m]]}}
}}

[[File:Order of the British Empire (Civil) Ribbon.png|thumb|right|100px| '''CBE''' ribbon]]

'''Francis Morgan Ayodélé "Daley" Thompson''', {{post-nominals|country=GBR|size=100%|CBE}} (born 30 July 1958<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.100greatblackbritons.com/bios/daley_thompson.html |title=Daley Thompson |publisher=100Great Black Britons, com |access-date=14 February 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091003020402/http://www.100greatblackbritons.com/bios/daley_thompson.html |archive-date=3 October 2009 |url-status=live}}</ref>) is an English former [[decathlon|decathlete]]. He won the decathlon gold medal at the [[Olympic Games]] in [[1980 Summer Olympics|1980]] and [[1984 Summer Olympics|1984]], and broke the [[Decathlon world record progression|world record for the event]] four times. He was unbeaten in competition for nine years.<ref name="unbeaten">{{cite news |title=Daley Thompson: 'I'd love to help British athletes. I'd be over the moon' |url=https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2020/feb/24/daley-thompson-help-british-athletes-two-time-olympic-decathlon-champion |access-date=31 October 2021 |work=The Guardian}}</ref>

With four world records, two Olympic gold medals, three [[Commonwealth Games|Commonwealth]] titles and wins in the [[World Athletics Championships|World]] and [[European Championships in Athletics|European Championships]], Thompson is considered by many to be one of the greatest decathletes of all time. Robert Chalmers described him as "the greatest all-round athlete this country has ever produced."<ref name=Chalmers-27-07-2008>{{cite news |last=Chalmers |first=Robert |title=The champion that time forgot: Why do we find it so hard to love Daley Thompson? |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/general/athletics/the-champion-that-time-forgot-why-do-we-find-it-so-hard-to-love-daley-thompson-876424.html |access-date=12 November 2011 |newspaper=The Independent |date=27 July 2008 |location=London |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110822151735/http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/general/athletics/the-champion-that-time-forgot-why-do-we-find-it-so-hard-to-love-daley-thompson-876424.html |archive-date=22 August 2011 |url-status=live}}</ref> His autobiography, ''Daley: Olympic Superstar'', was published in 2024.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Thompson |first1=Daley |title=Daley: Olympic Superstar |date=2024 |publisher=Chiselbury |location=London |isbn=978-1-916556-48-5}}</ref>

==Early life and education==
Thompson was born in [[Notting Hill]], London, the second son of a [[British Nigerian]] father, Frank Thompson, who ran a [[minicab]] firm, and [[Scottish people|Scottish]] mother, Lydia, from [[Dundee]].<ref>{{Cite book|last=Sugar|first=Bert Randolph|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Mwu_MYGlnooC&q=frank+sr|title=The Sports 100: A Ranking of the Greatest Athletes of All Time|date=1997|publisher=Carol Publishing Group|isbn=978-0-8065-1872-5|pages=145|language=en}}</ref><ref name=Chalmers-27-07-2008/> When Thompson was six, his father left home.<ref name=Chalmers-27-07-2008/> At seven years old, Lydia sent Thompson to Farney Close [[Boarding School]], [[Bolney]], [[Sussex]], which he described as "a place for troubled children".<ref name=Chalmers-27-07-2008/> When Thompson was eleven or twelve, his father was shot dead in [[Streatham]] by the husband of a woman whom the father and a friend had dropped off.<ref name=Chalmers-27-07-2008/> Thompson's forename is a contraction of ''Ayodelé'', a [[Yoruba language|Yoruba]] word meaning "joy comes home".<ref name=Chalmers-27-07-2008/> Thompson's first ambition was to become a professional [[association football|footballer]], but he later switched his interests to athletics.<ref name=Chalmers-27-07-2008/>

==Athletics==

===Early career===
Initially, he was a member of [[Haywards Heath]] Harriers, but when he returned to London in 1975 he joined the [[Newham and Essex Beagles]] Athletics club, training as a sprinter. He began to be coached by Bob Mortimer, who suggested he try out for the [[decathlon]] because one of his decathletes had [[chickenpox]].<ref>{{cite AV media | date=24 December 2024 | url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KW9DTF-Ora4 | title=Daley Thompson - Olympic Superstar | time=13:25 | via=YouTube }}</ref> He competed in his first decathlon later that year in [[Cwmbran]], Wales, which he won along with his next competition. In 1976, he won the [[Amateur Athletic Association of England|AAA]] title and was 18 at the [[1976 Summer Olympics|Montréal Olympic Games]]. The following year, he won the European Junior title and in 1978 came the first of his three [[1978 Commonwealth Games|Commonwealth]] titles. In 1979, he failed to finish in his only decathlon of that year, but won the long jump at the UK Championships.

===1980–1986: Breaking records===
Thompson opened the 1980 Olympic season with a world decathlon record of 8,648 points at [[Hypo-Meeting|Götzis]], Austria, in May,<ref name="daley1980">{{cite web |title=Daley Thompson 1980 Olympics |url=https://twitter.com/woodg31/status/1303051669685571587/photo/4 |publisher=twitter.com |date=1980}}</ref> and followed this by winning gold at the [[1980 Summer Olympics|Moscow Olympics]]. After a quiet 1981 season, he was in top form in 1982; back at Götzis in May, he raised the world record to 8,730 points and then in September, at the [[1982 European Athletics Championships|European Championships in Athens]], he took the record up to 8,774 points. The following month in Brisbane, Thompson took his second [[1982 Commonwealth Games|Commonwealth]] title.

In 1983, Thompson won the inaugural [[1983 World Championships in Athletics|World Championships]] and became the first decathlete to hold a continental title, in his case the [[European Championships in Athletics|European]] title and the [[World Athletics Championships|World]] and Olympic titles simultaneously. He also became by virtue of his World title, the first athlete in any athletics event to hold Olympic, World, continental and [[Commonwealth Games]] titles in a single event simultaneously.

Thompson spent much of the summer of 1984 in California preparing for the defence of his Olympic title, with [[Jürgen Hingsen]], the West German who had succeeded Thompson as the world record holder, expected to be a major threat. Thompson took the lead in the first event, a lead he never relinquished throughout the competition. It seemed that, by easing off in the 1,500 metres, he had missed tying the world record by just one point. When the photo-finish pictures were examined, however, it was found that Thompson should have been credited with one more point in the 110 metres hurdles so he had in fact, equalled Hingsen's record.{{citation needed|date=March 2024}} 

When the new scoring tables were introduced,{{clarify|date=March 2024}} Thompson became the sole record holder once more with a recalculated score of 8,847 points&nbsp;– a world record that stood until 1992, when it was surpassed by the American athlete [[Dan O'Brien]] with a score of 8,891. Thompson's two victories in the Olympic decathlon are a feat shared only with the Americans [[Bob Mathias]] and [[Ashton Eaton]]. Thompson's 1984 performance is still the [[List of British records in athletics|UK record]]. In 2002, Thompson's successful defence of his Olympic title was ranked number 34 on [[Channel 4]]'s poll of the [[100 Greatest Sporting Moments]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.channel4.com/entertainment/tv/microsites/G/greatest_sporting/results.html|title=100 Greatest Sporting Moments – Results|year=2002|publisher=[[Channel 4]]|location=London|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20020204090913/http://www.channel4.com/entertainment/tv/microsites/G/greatest_sporting/results.html|archive-date=4 February 2002|url-status=dead|access-date=8 August 2019}}</ref>

===1987–1990: Defeat and injury===
Thompson won his third [[1986 Commonwealth Games|Commonwealth title in 1986]] and also won another European Championship but after that he never quite recaptured the excellent form of earlier years. In 1987, he suffered his first decathlon defeat for nine years when he finished ninth in the World Championships, and at his fourth [[Athletics at the 1988 Summer Olympics – Men's decathlon|Olympics in Seoul in 1988]] he finished fourth. He made the [[1990 Commonwealth Games|Commonwealth Games]] team for the fourth time in 1990 but was forced to withdraw because of injury.

===Rivalry with Jürgen Hingsen===
Thompson's rivalry with [[West Germany|West German]] athlete [[Jürgen Hingsen]] was legendary in the sport throughout the 1980s. The pair constantly traded world records, but Thompson always had the upper hand in the major events, remaining undefeated in all competitions for nine years between 1978 and 1987.<ref name="unbeaten"/>

===Promotional activities===
Thompson was also well known for his appearances in commercials for the drink [[Lucozade]] in the 1980s.<ref>{{cite book |title=Case Studies in Marketing |date=2011 |publisher=Pearson Education India |page=21}}</ref> Thompson's name was used for three officially licensed home computer games by [[Ocean Software]] in the 1980s: ''[[Daley Thompson's Decathlon]]'', ''Daley Thompson's Supertest'' and ''Daley Thompson's Olympic Challenge''. He is also a brand ambassador for a travel agency network "Not Just Travel".<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.the-travel-franchise.com/brand-ambassador-daley-thompson/ |title=Daley Thompson Becomes The Travel Franchise Brand Ambassador |website=The Travel Franchise |language=en-GB |access-date=5 February 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190207015524/https://www.the-travel-franchise.com/brand-ambassador-daley-thompson/ |archive-date=7 February 2019 |url-status=dead}}</ref>

===Personal bests===
Information from [[World Athletics]] profile unless otherwise noted.
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Event
! Performance
! Location
! Date
! Points
|-
| Decathlon|| align=right | 8,798 points|| align=center | [[Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum|Los Angeles]] || align=right | 9 August 1984 || align=right |8,798 points
|-
| [[100 meters]]|| align=right | 10.26 (+2.0&nbsp;m/s)|| align=center | [[Stuttgart]] || align=right | 28 August 1986 || align=right | 1,032 points
|-
| [[Long jump]]|| align=right | {{T&Fcalc|8.01}} (+0.4&nbsp;m/s)|| align=center | [[Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum|Los Angeles]] || align=right | 8 August 1984 || align=right |1,063 points
|-
| [[Shot put]]|| align=right | {{T&Fcalc|15.73}} || align=center | [[Stuttgart]] || align=right | 27 August 1986 || align=right |835 points
|-
| [[High jump]]|| align=right | {{T&Fcalc|2.11}} || align=center | [[Götzis]] || align=right | 17 May 1980 || align=right |906 points
|-
| [[400 meters]]|| align=right | 46.86|| align=center | [[Götzis]] || align=right | 22 May 1982|| align=right |965 points
|-
| [[110 meters hurdles]]|| align=right | 14.04 || align=center | [[Stuttgart]] || align=right | 28 August 1986 || align=right |969 points
|-
| [[Discus throw]]|| align=right | {{T&Fcalc|47.62}} || align=center | [[Arles]] || align=right | 18 May 1986 || align=right |821 points
|-
| [[Pole vault]]|| align=right | {{T&Fcalc|5.10}} || align=center | [[Centennial Park Stadium|Toronto]] || align=right | 8 June 1983 || align=right |941 points
|-
| [[Javelin throw]]|| align=right | {{T&Fcalc|64.04}}|| align=center | [[Seoul Olympic Stadium|Seoul]] || align=right | 29 September 1988 || align=right |799 points
|-
| [[1500 meters]]|| align=right | 	4:22.8h || align=center | [[Stadion Evžena Rošického|Prague]] || align=right | 31 August 1978 || align=right |797 points
|-
|colspan=4 align=right| '''Virtual Best Performance''' || align=right | 9,128 points
|}

==After athletics==

===Football===

Thompson was forced to retire from athletics in 1992, due to a persistent [[hamstring]] injury. In the 1990s, he briefly played reserve team football for [[Mansfield Town]] and played for [[non-leaguefootball|non-league]] teams [[Stevenage F.C.|Stevenage Borough]] and [[Ilkeston F.C.|Ilkeston]].{{cn|date=April 2025}} 
[[File:Laureus 2006.jpg|thumb|right|Thompson (third from left, front row) standing next to [[Edwin Moses|Ed Moses]] at the 2006 Laureus Day held at the Ham Polo Club, London]]
He also worked as fitness coach for [[Wimbledon F.C.|Wimbledon]] and [[Luton Town]].<ref name="Bubble"/>

===Motor Racing===

Daley Thompson took up Motor Racing full-time in the 1993 National Saloon Car Cup, driving a [[Peugeot 106]].<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/motoring-me-my-motor-vaulting-into-pole-position-daley-thompson-is-racing-again-only-now-he-s-in-the-driving-seat-matthew-gwyther-reports-2316533.html | title=MOTORING / Me & My Motor: Vaulting into pole position: Daley Thompson | website=[[Independent.co.uk]] | date=29 May 1993 }}</ref> He competed in the lowest class (Class E) for up-to-1400cc cars and won his class at [[Thruxton Circuit|Thruxton]].<ref>{{cite web | url=https://motorsportwinners.com/defunct/production-saloon-car-championship-mcdbrdcbrscc/ | title=Production Saloon Car Championship – MCD/BRDC/BRSCC (1972-2003) | date=7 November 2011 }}</ref> He also entered his Peugeot in the [[Willhire 24 Hour|1993 Willhire 24 Hour race]] at [[Snetterton Circuit|Snetterton]], sharing with Joel Wykeham and then-Peugeot [[British Touring Car Championship|BTCC]] works driver [[Eugene O'Brien (racing driver)|Eugene O'Brien]].<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.flickr.com/photos/trackside/47309958692 | title=1993 Willhire 24 Hours - Snetterton | date=2 July 1993 }}</ref>{{better source needed|date=May 2025}} Thompson also took part in the 1994 Ford Credit Fiesta Challenge Championship.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://homepage.ntlworld.com/martin.essam/FordCredit.htm |title=Ford Credit Fiesta Championship |work=Homepage.ntlworld.com |access-date=31 July 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101020072050/http://homepage.ntlworld.com/martin.essam/FordCredit.htm |archive-date=20 October 2010 }}</ref>

===Other===

Thompson worked as a fitness trainer and motivational speaker, as well as appearing at corporate events. In 1994 Thompson trained with [[Reading F.C.|Reading Football Club]] and scored in a friendly against [[Leatherhead F.C.|Leatherhead]].<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/athletics-facts-must-be-faced-in-trial-of-daley-thompson-great-names-new-games-two-of-the-worlds-finest-sportsmen-face-fresh-challenges-mervyn-brewer-finds-a-double-olympic-champion-on-trial-at-reading-fc-1381748.html |title=Daley Thompson |newspaper=The Independent |date=6 August 1994 |access-date=31 July 2013 |location=London |first=Mervyn |last=Brewer |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140308104934/http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/athletics-facts-must-be-faced-in-trial-of-daley-thompson-great-names-new-games-two-of-the-worlds-finest-sportsmen-face-fresh-challenges-mervyn-brewer-finds-a-double-olympic-champion-on-trial-at-reading-fc-1381748.html |archive-date=8 March 2014 |url-status=live}}</ref>

Thompson was an ambassador for the London [[2012 Summer Olympics]], focusing during the bid stage on highlighting the benefits that hosting the Olympics would bring to education and sport in schools.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.jccm-uk.com/talent/daley-thompson |title=Jane Cowmeadow Communications & Management: Daley Thompson |work=jccm |publisher=Jccm-uk.com |access-date=31 July 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120726132020/http://www.jccm-uk.com/talent/daley-thompson/ |archive-date=26 July 2012 |url-status=live}}</ref> He also took part in the 2011 TV series ''[[Jamie's Dream School]]''.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.channel4.com/programmes/jamies-dream-school/articles/daley-thompson |title=Jamie's Dream School&nbsp;– Expert Profiles&nbsp;– Daley Thompson |publisher=Channel 4 |date=14 February 2011 |access-date=31 July 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110910074013/http://www.channel4.com/programmes/jamies-dream-school/articles/daley-thompson |archive-date=10 September 2011 |url-status=live}}</ref>

In 2015, Thompson opened his own gym, Daley Fitness, located on Upper Richmond Road in London. In 2018, he joined Masterchef Gary Barnshaw and co founded DT10 Sports, creating and selling a range of low-sugar protein shakes and sports bars.<ref>{{cite web |title=Olympic legend Daley Thompson to join Kielder runners |url=https://www.northumberland.gov.uk/News/2018/Sep/Olympic-legend-Daley-Thompson-to-join-Kielder-runn.aspx |website=Northumberland County Council |access-date=29 December 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181229171738/https://www.northumberland.gov.uk/News/2018/Sep/Olympic-legend-Daley-Thompson-to-join-Kielder-runn.aspx |archive-date=29 December 2018 |url-status=live}}</ref>

In April 2025, Thompson entered the ''[[Celebrity Big Brother (British TV series)|Celebrity Big Brother]]'' house to appear as a housemate on the [[Celebrity Big Brother (British TV series) series 24|twenty-fourth series]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Celebrity Big Brother 2025 line-up: Full list of 'confirmed' housemates |url=https://www.heart.co.uk/showbiz/tv-movies/celebrity-big-brother/celebrity-big-brother-2025-full-line-up-housemates-revealed/ |website=[[Heart (radio network)|Heart]] |accessdate=4 April 2025 |language=en}}</ref>

==Public image==
Thompson was a natural showman who endeared himself to the British public with his irreverent personality and anti-establishment attitude.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/olympics/8659204/London-2012-Olympics-Daley-Thompson-the-unappreciated-hero-of-British-athletics.html |title=London 2012 Olympics: Daley Thompson, the unappreciated hero of British athletics |newspaper=Daily Telegraph |date=26 July 2011 |access-date=27 July 2013 |author=White, Jim |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140526145212/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/olympics/8659204/London-2012-Olympics-Daley-Thompson-the-unappreciated-hero-of-British-athletics.html |archive-date=26 May 2014 |url-status=live}}</ref> He won the [[BBC Sports Personality of the Year]] award in 1982, was appointed an [[Order of the British Empire|MBE]] in the [[1983 New Year Honours]]<ref>{{London Gazette |issue=49212 |date=30 December 1982 |page=16 |supp=y }}</ref> and promoted to the [[Order of the British Empire|CBE]] in the [[2000 New Year Honours]].<ref>{{London Gazette |issue=55710 |date=30 December 1999 |page=11 |supp=y }}</ref>

At the [[1984 Los Angeles Olympics]], Thompson, who had just won his second Olympic decathlon gold medal, wore a T-shirt that read "IS THE WORLD'S 2ND GREATEST ATHLETE GAY?". United States sprinter [[Carl Lewis]] had been dealing with rumours of homosexuality and the shirt was regarded by some people as being cruelly directed at Lewis. "The second athlete could be anybody, Carl Lewis, anybody," Thompson stated.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://vault.si.com/vault/1988/09/14/a-better-deal-this-time-carl-lewis-hopes-to-add-to-his-1984-haul-of-four-gold-medals-while-shucking-the-image-problems-that-reduced-his-market-value |title=A Better Deal This Time? Carl Lewis hopes to add to his 1984 haul of four gold medals while shucking the image problems that reduced his market value |last=Geringer |first=Dan |website=Sports Illustrated Vault |language=en-us|access-date=10 April 2020}}</ref>

In 2012, Thompson was accused of [[anti-Irish sentiment]] after commenting on live [[BBC]] TV that the creator of a misspelled tattoo "[[Irish jokes|must have been Irish]]". The [[tattoo artist]] was actually American.<ref>{{cite news |last=Couniham |first=Patrick |title=British legend makes anti Irish slur over Olympic torch bearer tattoo made in USA |url=http://www.irishcentral.com/news/British-legend-makes-anti-Irish-slur-over-Olympic-torch-bearer-tattoo-made-in-USA-163388936.html |access-date=23 July 2012 |newspaper=Irish Central |date=22 July 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120725114500/http://www.irishcentral.com/news/British-legend-makes-anti-Irish-slur-over-Olympic-torch-bearer-tattoo-made-in-USA-163388936.html |archive-date=25 July 2012 |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=London 2012: Daley Thompson accused of racism after Irish gag on One Show |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/olympics/news/9418536/London-2012-Daley-Thompson-accused-of-racism-after-Irish-gag-on-One-Show.html |access-date=23 July 2012 |newspaper=Daily Telegraph |date=22 July 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120722122613/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/olympics/news/9418536/London-2012-Daley-Thompson-accused-of-racism-after-Irish-gag-on-One-Show.html |archive-date=22 July 2012 |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=Breslin |first=Shane |title=So the joke's on Daley Thompson after that 'Irish tattooist' gag |url=http://www.joe.ie/sports/2012-olympics/so-the-jokes-on-daley-thompson-after-that-olympic-irish-gag-0027114-1 |access-date=23 July 2012 |newspaper=JOE |date=22 July 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120726145043/http://www.joe.ie/sports/2012-olympics/so-the-jokes-on-daley-thompson-after-that-olympic-irish-gag-0027114-1 |archive-date=26 July 2012 |url-status=live}}</ref>

In August 2014, Thompson was one of 200 public figures who were signatories to a letter to ''[[The Guardian]]'' expressing their hope that Scotland would vote to remain part of the United Kingdom in September's [[2014 Scottish independence referendum|referendum on that issue]].<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2014/aug/07/celebrities-open-letter-scotland-independence-full-text |title=Celebrities' open letter to Scotland – full text and list of signatories |work=The Guardian |location=London |date=7 August 2014 |access-date=26 August 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140817131736/http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2014/aug/07/celebrities-open-letter-scotland-independence-full-text |archive-date=17 August 2014 |url-status=live}}</ref>

In 2015, Thompson co-presented the mid morning show on [[talkSPORT]] once a week alongside [[Colin Murray]] until Murray quit the station the following year.{{cn|date=February 2025}}

==Personal life==
Thompson has two children with his girlfriend Lisa and three with ex-wife Tish.<ref name="Bubble">{{cite web |url=http://www.thebubbleburst.co.uk/bb.php?entry=Daley%20Thompson |title=Daley Thompson&nbsp;– The Bubble Burst&nbsp;– Where is he now? |publisher=The Bubble Burst |date=30 July 1958 |access-date=31 July 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110817063417/http://www.thebubbleburst.co.uk/bb.php?entry=Daley%20Thompson |archive-date=17 August 2011 }}</ref> Thompson has sporting sons Elliot and Alex. [[Elliot Thompson]] became the national decathlon champion at the [[2022 British Athletics Championships]]. The title was won 46 years after Daley claimed his first national title. Alex plays rugby for the [[University of Bath]] and [[England Sevens]].<ref>{{cite news | url=https://www.thetimes.com/article/elliot-thompson-brains-they-probably-come-from-my-mum-d02rbc2m2 | title=Elliot Thompson: Brains? They probably come from my mum | last1=Broadbent | first1=Rick }}</ref><ref>{{cite news | url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/athletics/2022/07/17/daley-elliot-thompson-dads-done-farah-wiggins-why-hasnt-got/ | title=Daley and Elliot Thompson: 'My dad's done more than Farah or Wiggins – why hasn't he got a knighthood?' | newspaper=The Telegraph | date=17 July 2022 | last1=Bloom | first1=Ben }}</ref>

His autobiography, ''Daley: Olympic Superstar'', was published by Chiselbury in 2024.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Thompson |first1=Daley |title=Daley: Olympic Superstar |date=2024 |publisher=Chiselbury |location=London |isbn=978-1-916556-48-5}}</ref> A documentary film about his life, also titled ''Daley: Olympic Superstar'', became available on the [[BBC]] in July 2024.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/m00216mg/daley-olympic-superstar|title=Daley: Olympic Superstar|website=BBC|access-date=21 December 2024}}</ref>

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
* {{sports links}}
* {{CGF profile|37885|Francis Morgan Thompson}}
* [https://www.dt10sports.com DT10 Sports]
* [https://www.theguardian.com/sport/blog/2012/apr/04/50-stunning-olympic-moments-daley-thompson 50 Olympic moments – Daley Thompson] – can be used to expand article

{{Navboxes
|title=Related
|list1=
{{s-start}}
{{s-ach|rec}}
{{succession box|before={{flagicon|USA}} [[Caitlyn Jenner|Bruce Jenner]]|title=[[Decathlon#Records|Men's decathlon world record holder]]|years=15 May 1980&nbsp;– 14 June 1980|after={{flagicon|FRG}} [[Guido Kratschmer]]}}
{{succession box|before={{flagicon|FRG}} [[Guido Kratschmer]]|title=Men's decathlon world record holder|years=23 May 1982&nbsp;– 15 August 1982|after={{flagicon|FRG}} [[Jürgen Hingsen]]}}
{{succession box|before={{flagicon|FRG}} [[Jürgen Hingsen]]|title=Men's decathlon world record holder|years=8 September 1982&nbsp;– 6 June 1983|after={{flagicon|FRG}} [[Jürgen Hingsen]]}}
{{succession box|before={{flagicon|FRG}} [[Jürgen Hingsen]]|title=Men's decathlon world record holder|years=9 August 1984&nbsp;– 5 September 1992|after={{flagicon|USA}} [[Dan O'Brien]]}}
{{s-ach}}
{{succession box|title=[[BBC Sports Personality of the Year]]|before={{flagicon|ENG}} [[Ian Botham]] |after={{flagicon|ENG}} [[Steve Cram]]|years=1982}}
{{succession box
| before={{flagicon|GBR}} [[Sebastian Coe]] |
| title=[[United Press International Athlete of the Year Award#Male winners|United Press International<br />Athlete of the Year]] |
| after={{flagicon|USA}} [[Carl Lewis]] |
| years=1982}}
{{s-end}}
{{Footer Olympic Champions Decathlon}}
{{Footer World Champions Decathlon}}
{{Footer European Champions Decathlon Men}}
{{Footer Commonwealth Champions Decathlon Men}}
{{Footer WBYP Decathlon}}
{{Footer Olympic Champions Great Britain Men}}
{{Footer UK NC Long Jump Men}}
{{BBC Sports Personality of the Year winners}}
{{IAAF Hall of Fame}}
{{PAP European Sportsperson of the Year}}
}}
{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Thompson, Daley}}
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:1958 births]]
[[Category:People from Worcester Park]]
[[Category:Athletes from the London Borough of Sutton]]
[[Category:Footballers from the London Borough of Sutton]]
[[Category:British male decathletes]]
[[Category:English male decathletes]]
[[Category:Olympic athletes for Great Britain]]
[[Category:English Olympic competitors]]
[[Category:Olympic gold medallists for Great Britain]]
[[Category:Athletes (track and field) at the 1976 Summer Olympics]]
[[Category:Athletes (track and field) at the 1980 Summer Olympics]]
[[Category:Athletes (track and field) at the 1984 Summer Olympics]]
[[Category:Athletes (track and field) at the 1988 Summer Olympics]]
[[Category:Commonwealth Games gold medallists for England]]
[[Category:Commonwealth Games silver medallists for England]]
[[Category:Commonwealth Games medallists in athletics]]
[[Category:Athletes (track and field) at the 1978 Commonwealth Games]]
[[Category:Athletes (track and field) at the 1982 Commonwealth Games]]
[[Category:Athletes (track and field) at the 1986 Commonwealth Games]]
[[Category:World Athletics Championships medalists]]
[[Category:European Athletics Championships medalists]]
[[Category:World record setters in athletics (track and field)]]
[[Category:Black British sportsmen]]
[[Category:English people of Nigerian descent]]
[[Category:Sportspeople of Nigerian descent]]
[[Category:English people of Yoruba descent]]
[[Category:English people of Scottish descent]]
[[Category:Stevenage F.C. players]]
[[Category:People educated at Farney Close School]]
[[Category:BBC Sports Personality of the Year winners]]
[[Category:Yoruba sportspeople]]
[[Category:Medalists at the 1984 Summer Olympics]]
[[Category:Medalists at the 1980 Summer Olympics]]
[[Category:Commanders of the Order of the British Empire]]
[[Category:Olympic gold medalists in athletics (track and field)]]
[[Category:Men's association football players not categorized by position]]
[[Category:English men's footballers]]
[[Category:Ilkeston Town F.C. (1945) players]]
[[Category:Luton Town F.C. non-playing staff]]
[[Category:Wimbledon F.C. non-playing staff]]
[[Category:World Athletics Championships winners]]
[[Category:Medallists at the 1978 Commonwealth Games]]
[[Category:Medallists at the 1982 Commonwealth Games]]
[[Category:Medallists at the 1986 Commonwealth Games]]