A 14-year-old diving sensation has been bitterly blamed by his 26-year-old partner for the pair's last-place finish in their Olympic final, but the teen's father has warned the older diver that if he continues to criticise his son, "he will have me to deal with".
Tom Daley, 14, has been the subject of national adulation in the UK, after the young Brit achieved international diving success at a young age.
But things turned a little sour for the prodigy on Monday, after he and partner Blake Aldridge, 26, finished eighth and last in the 10-metre platform synchronised diving competition at the Beijing Olympics.
Just minutes after the competition, Aldridge reportedly blamed his young partner for costing them any chance of a medal, and said nerves had got the better of him, The Daily Mail said.
But in a twist, it was revealed the 14-year-old accused his older partner of not concentrating when Aldridge tried to call his mother during the competition.
"Tom was very, very nervous, more than ever before, and I think he really struggled to get through the competition," Aldridge said, according to The Daily Mail.
"And for me to be his partner, it was hard for me to get up there and ease him into his competition. Unfortunately, it's a partnership and you both have to be on top of your game. I was on top of my game but Tom was nowhere near the top of his game.
"I outdived Tom and that's not normally something that happens. It's because Tom had a lot more pressure on him than me.
"I knew we were capable of a medal, but I knew going into this tournament it would depend on how Tom performed."
But Daley's father, Rob, hit back at Aldridge, and warned the 26-year-old of consequences if he failed to stop attacking his son.
"I don't see how Tom let the side down at all. He was bound to be nervous. He is 14.
"Neither of them dived their best but nobody made mistakes. It sounds like sour grapes to me, rather than taking it on the chin as he should.
"This was Blake's only competition and the Games are finished for him. I just hope he doesn't upset Tom because he has another [competition] to deal with in 11 days. If he does, he will have me to deal with."
In an ironic twist, it was Daley who was reportedly incensed when Aldridge tried to phone his mother just before their final dive, The Telegraph said.
"I was trying to calm him down but he had a pop at me before the last dive," Aldridge said.
"When we were sitting down I saw my mum in the audience and I asked her to give me a call but Tom went to me, 'What are you on the phone for? We're in a competition and we've got another dive to do."'
In comments likely to further infuriate Aldridge - who has been forced to live in the shadow of young partner - a cheery Daley said his poor performance in the synchronised competition had allowed him to rid himself of nerves ahead of his individual competition.
"If I could do it again, I'd make sure I had better form, but it was great fun and I have the experience now," he said.
"I am just going to keep doing the same things I would do in a normal competition, but now I have got rid of my nerves to go into the individual."
According to The Daily Mail, Daley is Britain's second-youngest Olympian after rowing cox Kenneth Lester, who was 13 years when he competed in the Rome Olympics in 1960.
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