Tom Daley admits a recent scouting mission to Rio’s Olympic diving pool had got the competitive juices flowing as the countdown to the 2016 Games gathers pace.
Daley was training in the Maria Lenk Aquatic Center alongside the rest of the British team last month as they familiarised themselves with the venue which will host Olympic diving in 18 months time.
Back in 2012 Daley claimed 10m platform bronze at the London Aquatics Centre – now his current training venue – and the 20-year-old was impressed with what he had seen in Brazil as he chases his ultimate dream of Olmypic gold.
“It is a great Olympic venue,” Daley told the BBC Sport.
“It’s crazy because you stand on the platform thinking these stands are going to be packed, this is where these four years of hard work are going to lead up to.
“For so long everything I ever thought about was London 2012 so to think that in 18 months time I’m going to be competing for another medal makes me nervous.
“Gold in Rio is my ultimate dream and target. Knowing how much Rio and the whole of Brazil love sport, these Games are going to be massive.”
Daley recently made the decision to swap his unpredictable ‘demon dive’ for a ‘firework’ routine in a bid to upgrade to Olympic gold in Rio.
He will become the first person ever to attempt the new dive – a forward 3.5 somersaults with one twist in the piked position – from 10m when he competes in the British Diving Championships in Plymouth later this month.
And while he concedes switching up his routine is a gamble, Daley is also relived to see the back of his previous diving routine of backwards 2.5 somersault with 2.5 twists in the piked position.
“It’s a weight off my shoulders,” he added.
“Changing the dive was one of the riskiest decisions I’ve had to make but you have to take risks if you want to win Olympic medals.
“Lots of people who have seen the dive tell me it is like little firework because you don’t expect it and the massive twist just happens at the end.
“It’s kind of cool to think that I’m the first person to try it.”
© Sportsbeat 2015