A Place in the Sun magazine interview with Daley Thompson

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Winner’s enclosure

Olympic legend Daley Thompson loves waking up to sunshine in his Spanish home, from where he also runs personal training courses. But it seems that even a round-the-clock winner likes to wind down once in a while...

Words by Amar Patel, pictures by Nina Assam

D

aley Thompson has been all over the world. As a two-time Olympic decathlon champion he has travelled from the Americas to Australasia. But it’s comforting to know that, as superhuman as he appears, Daley has the same tastes as the rest of us. When it came to choosing a villa for him and his family, Spain was his number one choice for a place in the sun.

“I’d been in hundreds of competitions in Spain, so I’d seen a fair bit of the country and liked it,” he says. “The weather was a major attraction, since Spain is probably the warmest and driest place in Europe. Aside from that, I’ve always found Spain a pleasant and safe place to be.”

Good year-round weather wasn’t simply a personal preference. Daley now runs personal training courses, so warm winter conditions are important for his work, too.

Eventually it was the Andalucian province of Almeria in the south-east of the country which captured his imagination, with its vivid lunar landscape and the dramatic foothills of the Sierra de Cabrera.

Steeped in Moorish tradition, Almeria takes its name from the Arabic word meaning ‘mirror of the sea’. It was an important settlement 100 years before the Alhambra was

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built in neighbouring Granada, and its capital was a key port in the kingdom. Today, the province still retains its old-world charm and atmosphere while offering a comparatively unspoilt alternative to the more populated areas further up the coast, such as La Manga. Even better, the province’s capital, also called Almeria, recently received a timely makeover and Almeria Airport was opened in the lead-up to the 2005 Mediterranean Games which were held in the city. It comes as no surprise, then, that Daley opted for this region.

After investigating the property-buying options, Daley was finally wooed by a resort in Almeria’s Almanzora area – thanks largely to the advice of a fellow sporting celebrity. “Ian Botham is a friend and he plays golf at the Desert Springs resort,” says Daley. “I’d mentioned to him that I was looking for somewhere abroad to train and he suggested this place, so I thought I’d come and check it out.”

One of a number of resorts constructed by The Almanzora Group – one of the biggest developers in Spain – Desert Springs is home to Europe’s first desert golf course, with fairway frontage homes and stunning green views. Properties here range from detached villas, starting at €505,000, to townhouses starting at €305,000 and apartments from €205,000.

In the end, Daley opted for a family-sized four-bed, two-bathroom villa with a pool. “The Desert Springs site feels like a forgotten part of Spain, which appeals to me,” he says. “I thought: ‘This is my chance to get in there before everyone else.’ I like the fact that it’s slightly off the beaten track. I’m not really one for discos and clubs – but then again, if you like that sort of thing then the town of Vera is only ten minutes away, as is the lovely beach of El Playazo.”

Daley’s villa, with its colonnaded veranda and large roof terrace, is ideal for admiring the views. There’s also a private terrace off the spacious master bedroom. In the main living area an open-plan lounge leads out onto a secluded garden with sun terraces and a barbecue area – even top atheletes enjoy a barbie from time to time! Then, if the midday heat gets too much, there’s an inviting swimming pool

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plus a separate children’s pool, both surrounded by sun loungers.

The place has a very homely feel, decorated with a subtle colour scheme, mirrors and assorted artwork. It also has a large basement, which has been converted into a bright red and green fun room complete with rugs, bean bags and a huge plasma-screen TV. When asked to describe his home, Daley is typically self-deprecating: “It’s fairly basic,” he says. “First of all, it’s in a pretty secluded area.

Inside, it’s light and airy, as you would expect in such a warm climate.

As for the exterior, the seating areas, pool areas and rock gardens provide vantage points to take in the scenery, which is absolutely extraordinary. At the end of the day, I’m not too fussy about decor and things. I’m the kind of bloke who likes to travel as light as possible – just a couple of T-shirts, shorts and so on. As long as I can read my paper or watch a bit of Sky Sports on TV then I’m happy!”

With his down-to-earth modesty, it’s easy to forget that Daley has lead a dazzling athletics career. Born in London’s Notting Hill of Nigerian and Scottish parentage, Daley was a talented but unruly teenager. He was sent to a Sussex boarding school, where he learned to channel his energy into sport. It was the beginning of a passion for athletics that is still going strong. He popularised the decathlon – the most Herculean of Olympic challenges – remaining unbeaten for ten years and setting four world records. Soon he was a hero to millions.

From time to time, he found himself dwarfed in both stature and ability by other top decathletes, according to Frank Dick, director of coaching for British athletics during the 1980s and early 1990s.

However, if Daley was ever found wanting in those areas, he more than made up for it with his will to win. He was so dedicated that it was said he could be found training on Christmas Day. Today, however, Daley prefers to encourage the competitive spirit in other people by running his own personal fitness training and corporate development camps, Daley Fitness. Having a base in Desert Springs was an ideal opportunity to expand Daley Fitness into Spain, providing him with somewhere to live and to work, designed to his

Clockwise from above The airy master bedroom has cool tiles underfoot; the living room, with a Moorish mirror and coffee table, overlooks the terrace; finding a shady spot is an absolute necessity in the noonday heat; the well equipped gym, where Daley will put corporate clients and sporty types through their paces

“DESERT SPRINGS FEELS LIKE A FORGOTTEN PART OF SPAIN – IT’S SLIGHTLY OFF THE BEATEN TRACK, WHICH APPEALS TO ME”

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specifications. “The developers got wind of me coming to the area and said, ‘Well, if you like this then we’ll build it how you want, with a gym and everything you need.’”

Since Desert Springs offers facilities such as a jogging track, a fullsized football pitch, a swimming pool and tennis courts, the resort provides the perfect base for Daley to hold corporate sessions, which promote team bonding and individual development. “Whatever level of fitness people come in at, I’ll find some way to get them exhausted,” he laughs. “We’re very flexible. If we have a hard session one day on the track we may have an easier one the next day in the pool, but either way I’ll take people up to a new level of fitness.”

Daley has maintained his dedicatation over the years, but he does acknowledge that his priorities have changed, given that he’s now a 47-year-old father of four. “My family is the most important thing for me,” he says. “Like most family men, I’m driven by the needs of my kids. So I plan to use the villa for two to three months a year as a family holiday place. The good thing about it is that there’s plenty for the kids to do during that time, like going to the water parks and learning horse-riding.

In fact, the Desert Springs development started out as solely a golf resort but, as Daley, explains, “The developers realised that they would need to expand to cater for all the family. Hence the gyms, the play area and the pools.”

Ever the all-round sportsman, Daley has also dabbled in soccer and Australian Rules football. Surely it’s only a matter of time before he succumbs to golf at Desert Springs? “You know what – I don’t play golf, but Simon, the ‘pro’ at Desert Springs, has promised me a few

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free lessons, so we’ll see. Perhaps when I get a bit older!” he jokes.

Daley’s certainly happy with his Desert Springs base, but does this mean we will we see him dabbling more in the overseas property market? “I think I’ll take it slowly for now,” he says, “at least until my littlest one leaves school. I’d like to own more property, but it really does involve a huge amount of guesswork. I’m not sure where to head – plus, I would need to look for warm-weather training locations.”

South Africa is one possibility for the future, as Daley has spent a fair amount of time there in his capacity as a Laureus Sports Foundation Academy member, working with young athletes, also taking part in the Cape Argus bike ride in Cape Town.

For now, Daley is busy not only with his Daley Fitness venture but also with supporting Barnado’s, coaching St Kilda’s Australian Rules football team and working behind the scenes on London’s hosting of the Olympic Games in 2012.

His sense of pride and purpose in the Olympic triumph is especially strong. He remembers when the team heard that they had won the bid. “Oh, it was fantastic, like a proper competition. Everyone was in floods of tears. We only won by a few votes so if my time in Accra [where Daley accompanied Lord Coe for the key final presentations to the Olympic committee] helped then that’s great. I hope we do ourselves justice and make it the best Olympics ever. That’s our challenge – and with Sebastian Coe at the helm, I’m sure that there is every chance.”

Some people are born winners – and Daley Thompson is one of them.

For further information on Desert Springs – or the Almanzora Group’s other developments – call 01242 680 116 or visit www.almanzora.com.