Beijing Mad About the Boy

He is tailed by autograph-hunters, makes groups of girls collapse into red-faced giggles and has the world's media hanging on his every word. He was even picked out by television cameras during last night's opening ceremony - for someone unknown in Britain until this year, Tom Daley is rapidly becoming a global star.

The 14-year-old from Plymouth begins his quest for two gold medals with his partner Blake Aldridge in the 10m synchronized pairs diving on Monday morning British time, but such was the clamor to speak to him at a press conference yesterday it appears interest in the event will extend way beyond these shores. America, Canada and Australia in particular have all warmed to his fascinating story.

Daley is already huge in China - he guaranteed Olympic qualification by finishing seventh in the World Cup in Beijing earlier this year and diving is a popular sport here - but he is wide-eyed, chipper and full of youthful charm, and a medal on Monday would make him an early contender for the face of the Games.

"I've had people come up and recognize me in the streets and around the Athletes' Village," Daley said. "It's weird. Really weird. When you're little you always dream of being that person, the one getting recognized wherever he goes."

His age allows him to speak modestly about his ambitions. "I'm here for the experience, I'm not expecting to win anything. I'd rather work hard for London 2012 and win a medal there. I just want to go out there and have some fun. If I do something wrong this time, that's OK, I'll learn from it and take it on to 2012."

For all Daley's understatement, the GB performance director, Steve Foley, believes that his events - after the synchronized pairs on Monday, Daley has to wait until Friday week to begin competing in the individual competition - are "wide open". In every other format, the Chinese are expected to dominate. Fortunately, Daley appears to be an absolute natural at dealing with the pressure.

He also managed to please his sponsors yesterday, discreetly name-dropping several firms into his patter. When asked by a newsman from Montreal whether he regarded the Canadian diver Alexandre Despatie as a hero, Daley's answer was an exquisitely diplomatic "yes".

Asked whether he felt the atmosphere in the Olympic Village reminded him of a school disco, he replied: "I don't know. I don't go to school very often, but I do go when I can." Everybody laughed, but he was only half-joking.

Naturally there were times when his polish slipped and it was easier to remember his actual age. His enthusiastic teenage slang was one reminder. "It's absolutely massive being in the Village, just awesome, since arriving it's been absolutely phenomenal." Daley, who had just had his photo taken with Rafael Nadal, and breakfasted with Jamie Murray, was as star-struck as any teenager would be in the surroundings of the Village. He had, he revealed, also been taking advice from Sir Steve Redgrave ("thanks to Team Visa") on how to cope with the sleeplessness he suffers before big competitions. Soon he will be taking tips from Nadal on how to handle groupies.

For now he has been spending his free time on other pursuits: printing stamps with his face on and sending postcards to his family, or surfing the internet in his room ("beautifully furnished by B&Q"). His family party - some 12 people - are flying out this weekend. Until then he has the company of his team-mates. Daley is rooming with Aldridge, who, at the age of 26, is also competing in his first Olympics. Like the rest of the team you sense Aldridge is enthused and bemused by Daley rather than put out.

However Aldridge feels, though, he'll have to get used to it. Daley is a born star, charismatic, handsome, and talented. If he handles pressure on the diving platform half as well as he does in front of a hundred or so journalists, he'll be a phenomenon.