Fred Siriex is treating his gold medal-winning daughter to a trip to New York as a reward for her Commonwealth Games diving success.
The First Dates star, 50, was in the crowd at the Sandwell Aquatics Centre on Thursday watching Andrea Spendolini-Sirieix win the 10m Platform diving gold.
He says the 17-year-old’s victory was deserved ‘after ten years of hard work and dedication’ and they plan to celebrate together in the Big Apple, after she completes her two remaining diving competitions at the Birmingham Games.
Surprise! Fred Siriex is treating his gold medal-winning daughter to a trip to New York as a reward for her Commonwealth Games diving success
Speaking exclusively to MailOnline, Fred said: ‘We are going to take her to New York in September when she turns 18. We’ll spend a few days there as she’s never been. She’s always wanted to go.
‘We’ll enjoy ourselves there, she deserves it.’
Fred admitted he’s barely slept since Andrea claimed gold in her first Commonwealth Games, adding: ‘Last night I couldn’t sleep, my eyes were on the ceiling.
‘I was just replaying the moment in my head. Today I’m planning on watching it again on TV so I can enjoy it as a fan.’
Proud: The First Dates star, 50, was in the crowd at the Sandwell Aquatics Centre on Thursday watching Andrea Spendolini-Sirieix win the 10m Platform diving gold
Beaming: He says the 17-year-old’s victory was deserved ‘after ten years of hard work and dedication’ and they plan to celebrate together in the Big Apple, after she completes her two remaining diving competitions at the Birmingham Games
Andrea secured her gold medal with a staggering 357.50 points, with compatriot Lois Mae Toulson taking silver with 337.30 points.
Fred was pictured celebrating wildly in the crowd, punching the air in jubilation following Andrea’s winning dive.
The TV favourite admitted he was always confident she would win, but nerves kicked in when her rivals upped their performance levels in the final round.
Overjoyed: First Dates star Fred, 50, was every inch the proud father as he jumped for joy in the stands while his 17-year-old daughter won the Women’s Diving 10m Platform at Sandwell Aquatics Centre on Thursday night
He explained: ‘Andrea totally dominated the preliminaries but in the final she started a bit slow. And you get nervous because all the girls up their game in the final.
‘But she did what champions do and in her last dive she really turned it on and pulled a perfectly educated dive out of nowhere. It was her best dive ever. It was on the wire until that last dive.’
He added: ‘I’ve been following her career since she was eight and that was the culmination of ten years of diving.
Success: Andrea immediately cheered after jumping out the water following her final dive and seeing her scores, realising she had become the Women’s 10m Platform gold medallist
It’s six days a week, four to five hours a day, one day off on a Sunday, no holidays – just pure grind and hard work. She totally deserves it. It was her time.’
French-native Fred, who has lived in the UK for 30 years and had Andrea and son Lucien, 13, with former partner Alex, says his daughter’s passion for diving emerged when she was picked out by talent spotters at her local school in South East London when she was eight years-old.
Initially a keen gymnast, she was asked to try diving as her skills could be transferred into a new sport and she joined Dive London, based at the London Aquatics Centre in Stratford, specialising in the 10m dive, which Fred says you have to be ‘nuts’ to do.
Amazing: In the nail-biting final on Thursday, Andrea competed alongside another 11 contestants, after coming out in first place against 14 divers in the preliminary rounds
But the Frenchman, whose First Dates show airs on Thursday nights on Channel 4, has nothing but admiration for his daughter, revealing he knows how tough her training is having joined in with sessions during a link-up with the Team GB team in May last year.
Fred said: ‘Five days in a row I was covered in bruises. I didn’t land correctly and landed on my bum. It is just insane. I was scared every single time I was on that board.’
He believes Andrea is mature enough to handle the pressures of fame which will intensify following her success at the Commonwealth Games.
Fred added: ‘She is a very well balanced girl with a good head on her shoulders. I’m not worried about that, she will be fine. Andrea is totally dedicated to her sport.’
Fame: The Frenchman, whose First Dates show airs on Thursday nights on Channel 4, has nothing but admiration for his daughter
Source: | Dailymail.co.uk