Pete Waterfield has backed Tom Daley to win gold at the London Olympics after the teenager's return to top form.
Teenager's 10m platform synchro partner is impressed
Pete Waterfield has backed Tom Daley to win gold at the London Olympics after the teenager's return to top form.
The 18-year-old former world champion has finished no lower than second in his past five major international meets, culminating in him reclaiming the European 10metre platform title in Eindhoven on Sunday.
Daley managed that with a personal-best 565.05 - a total that would have won him gold in Beijing four years ago.
And his 10m platform synchro partner Waterfield, who missed the meet with a neck injury, said: "What a great performance from Tom at the European Championships - he's on his best form and in some ways I'm sorry I wasn't there to see it (and give him a bit of extra competition).
"I'm definitely tipping him for a medal and if he carries on like this it will be gold."
Waterfield, an Olympic silver medallist in 2004, believes his partnership with Daley can spur both on to greater heights at the Olympics.
The pair will join forces in the platform synchro - where they are expected to challenge for the medals - before going head-to-head in the individual.
High hopes
"People sometimes ask if it's strange to be on a team with Tom for the synchro but then competing against him in the individual. To be honest I don't see it as a conflict," said Waterfield, who beat Daley at last year's British National Championships.
"I want him to dive well when he's with me - we both benefit if either one of us ups their performances.
"Both of us are going to push each other towards that top spot."
Waterfield revealed his neck complaint had left him in hospital last week while Daley was winning in Eindhoven.
The 31-year-old has struggled with injuries over the past six months - to throw some doubt over whether he can stay fit to join Daley in London.
"While Tom was dazzling at the Euros I was lying flat on my back on a hospital bed," he wrote in his column for www.msn.co.uk.
"It was quite a terrifying experience because I needed an injection right into my spine to ease the neck injury that's been hampering me.
"It was one big needle and the worst thing was I could see it going in on the x-rays.
"Apart from the pain from the big hole in my skin where the injection went in, things are feeling better so touch wood I'll be injury free for the run-up to London."
