Frustrated Haslam is relieved to earn medal in Glasgow

ROSS HASLAM proved a more than capable substitute for Tom Daley by claiming European silver on Wednesday in the synchronised 3m springboard mixed event.

The Sheffield diver, 20, teamed up with Grace Reid in the absence of Daley – who has taken the rest of this year off on paternity leave.

And the new duo – in only their second competition together – combined for a personal best score of 308.67 from five dives as gold went to the German pair of Lou Massenberg and Tina Punzel.

And Haslam – who was one of the few English divers not to claim a Commonwealth medal in the Gold Coast earlier this year – loved his moment in the spotlight.

“It is a bit of pressure obviously (replacing him). Tom Daley is Tom Daley – whenever I tell anyone that I dive, they ask: ‘Oh, like Tom Daley?,” he said.

“He is the person that people refer to when it comes to diving.

“But it has been great to be here, diving with someone who is Scottish in Grace in Scotland – it has been great to be a part of it as well.

“It has been a frustrating year for me, things like missing out on selections for individuals and things like that.

“But to come here and do what we needed to do and get a medal makes me very happy – we are absolutely chuffed.”

It was less good news for Huddersfield’s Lois Toulson who failed to defend the individual 10m platform title she won last year.

A poor fourth dive cost the 18-year-old – who claimed synchronised gold with Eden Cheng on Tuesday – and she slipped from first to fifth in the standings.

But she will get her chance for redemption on Saturday in the mixed event alongside compatriot Matthew Lee.

Great Ayton cyclist Harry Tanfield battled through a hailstorm to finish 16th in the tme trial at the European Championships.

The 23-year-old made his mark, eventually finishing 16th in a time of 55:53.71, two minutes down on champion Victor Campenaerts.