Tom Daley sixth at World Aquatics Championships
Last updated on .From the section Diving
Injury-hit Tom Daley finished sixth in the individual 10m platform final at the World Championships.
The Olympic bronze medallist, 19, suffered an upper-arm injury in April and experienced a reoccurrence of the problem in training on Thursday.
The 2009 world champion was third with two rounds remaining, but slipped down the rankings and totalled 470.60.
China's Qui Bo (581) won gold with Olympic champion David Boudia (517) second and Sascha Klein (508.55) third.
After a slow start, defending champion Bo delivered impressive scores of 99.75 and 99 before bettering that with incredible totals of 108 and 110.
Daley, who tore a triceps muscle earlier this year, found himself in fifth position after the first two rounds but then delivered his dive of the competition to score 99 for his back 3.5 somersault routine.
It drew high-fives from the GB coaching staff, but also raised prospects that Daley could challenge for a medal.
He slipped back to sixth heading into the final round of dives but was one of four divers with a chance of claiming bronze.
However, he scored just 61.05 for his usual favoured dive, the reverse 3.5 somersault routine and slipped out of contention.
"I found out yesterday that I've torn my triceps again so today and yesterday I've been diving with a torn triceps not knowing whether it was going to make it worse," Daley told BBC Sport.
"I've also had a local anaesthetic in there today so I've been diving with a numb arm so it was a bit of a weird sensation but I really wanted to compete and would have even if my arm was falling off."
He added: "It's one of those really frustrating things knowing that it's only 517 points to get a silver so the scores are low, but if you have an injury you can only do your best and I'm a long way off that."
Daley will now take some time away from the sport before returning to training later in the year as he builds towards the start of the World Series in early 2014 and the defence of his Commonwealth titles.
"I can go away from here and try to get my triceps rehabbed properly so it doesn't get any worse. I've torn it three times now so it's about time I had a little bit of luck. It's been one thing after another this year," he added.
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It seems that the comments on news\sports pages went seriously downhill after the BBC closed the football 606 sites.
In the interests of herding the sad, lonely and ignorant back into isolation, where they can do little harm, please can the BBC consider reopening those 606 sites?
Jimmy, 6th in the world at any sport is hardly useless. But competing with an injury and still managing to achieve that level of excellence commands respect and admiration. My guess is you haven't achieved anything in any sport and simply see sports people as there to serve your cynical rump. Reality check. They do it for themselves.
Congrats Tom on a great effort.
Famous the world over, good-looking, bright and articulate, super talented at what he does - and all of this while still in his teens. Yes, you are right. Tom Daley is indeed a loser. You on the other hand ...
many are annoyed by his celeb status and that's fair enough, I wouldn't fancy it though, not being able to go anywhere without being mobbed
hard working guy, sat A levels whilst preparing for Olympics, former World Champ, pretty impressive for 19yo I say
gobowing, not sure how Daley qualifies as a loser, when he was European champ at 13 and world champ at 15.
No training possible and diving requires incredible pressure on arms, as
your arms take the pressure of the water.
Imagine a torn tricep getting battered after every dive,
now imagine the pressure the guy is under at worlds!
Great result, considering the competition and lack of training.
However, I was brought up to believe that any criticism given should be constructive and you shouldn't be criticising someone unless you can back it up by doing better.
If our sportsmen and women are giving of their best, that is all we can ask. Tom Daley is doing just that in what is clearly a technically difficult sport.
1. As one dive starts from a handstand and then pushes away from the board, you clearly need to use your arms.
2. Divers have to lock their arms to make the non splash rip entries, and the speed they hit the water can mean great force.
Tom did great given his injury, where ordinarily he would have not been diving.
Sneering is such ugly behaviour - do you have problems with your self esteem ?
Divers hit the water at around 30mph. You and your limbs need to be very fit and strong to deal with the forces involved, and it is obvious that many competitors work on this aspect of their sport. If this were not the case, we would see many more divers from the John Smiths school of bombing.
By all accounts with most British athletes have all the excuses in the books.
I would've thought that having an injured tricep would have made diving a lot more difficult but the TopSportsExpert says no that's not the case.
We should feel sorry for you, but I wouldn't want to waste any compassion for your benefit.