Great Britain diver Becky Gallantree is finding the form of her career at just the right time.
The 27-year-old can boast to being a world top-10 diver from the 3metre springboard for the first time after reaching Friday night's final at the FINA World Cup at the Olympic Aquatics Centre. It was Gallantree's first global final on the highest springboard and she would have added a personal best but for a slight error on her final back two-and-a-half somersault.
"I'm really pleased. I was a little bit annoyed with my final dive, if I did a better one, which I know I can, it would have been a PB," said Gallantree.
"But it is probably the most consistent I have dived over three lists before in my life. It's a great start to the season."
The Leeds diver's final score of 315.90 earned her ninth place while it was also just below the lifetime-best she set at the British National Cup last month. A massive grin as she took to the board for her final dive summed up her mood, as she lapped up the cheers of a raucous 3,000-strong crowd.
"Absolutely, the crowd out there is just fantastic. They really pumped me up, I really enjoyed it," she said.
Speaking about her final dive she added: "My team-mates were doing a 'Becky' chant. I just couldn't help but grin."
Gallantree earned Great Britain their only individual Olympic place in the springboard this summer in reaching the final. Despite that she must still qualify her own place, and claim a second Olympic tracksuit, at the British Championships at Sheffield in June.
Gallantree will go up against promising teenagers Hannah Starling, who could yet secure a second Olympic place in Sunday's dive-off, and Alicia Blagg.
"They are very, very talented. As they improve that sort of spurs me on to improve. I don't want them to catch me," said Gallantree, who will dive alongside Blagg in the springboard synchro today.
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