THEY put in years of hard work and sacrifice even though they will not be the ones winning Olympic medals.

The families of athletes heading to the Beijing Games can only hope that years of scheduling meals, holidays and finances around their loved ones' sporting lives will be made worthwhile by Olympic success.

Tom Daley 

British 14-year-old diving prodigy Tom Daley relies on his parents to ferry him to training and support him at competitions around the world.

"Tom has a mile walk from school. I take him so he's not too tired," his father Robert told Reuters by telephone.

"I go as a spectator to all of his competitions. I always have done from when he first started. I didn't want to be one of those parents who just dropped their kids off to a waiting bus or a mini-bus. I always made my own way there and if it's in this country the whole family come."

In the photograph: Platform diver Tom Daley poses in front of the winners' boards with the Walkers Home Grown New Talent Award (voted for by readers of The Sun) at the Britain's Best 2008 Awards at London Television Studios on May 18, 2008 in London, England. The award ceremony honours outstanding Britons in categories including business, art, television, music, film, sport and fashion.

Photograph: Dave Hogan/Getty Images