Despair as Tom’s hopes dive bomb

A TEARFUL Tom Daley was at a loss to explain how his bid for Olympic gold in Rio unravelled so spectacularly after failing to qualify for the final of the 10 metres platform event.

The 22-year-old from Plymouth looked well placed to improve on his London 2012 bronze after placing first in Friday’s preliminary round.

But he endured a poor first three rounds of the semi-final at Maria Lenk Aquatics Centre and his inability to recover in the remaining three meant he suffered the ignominy of finishing last of the 18 competitors, with the top 12 making it through.

“Today I don’t really know what went wrong. I’ve no idea,” Daley said.

“I’ve been feeling so good. Training’s been going really well, I’m in the shape of my life, moving better than I’ve ever moved before and last night showed that.

“I was fighting until the end. Every single dive, if I missed one, I’d move on to the next.

“I was constantly trying to fight to be up there, improve my place to try to qualify.

“When it came to the last dive and I needed 9.5s and 10s to qualify, I know I can do that.

“I gave it my everything and tried my absolute best. It’s just heartbreaking to think that four years of hard work and effort . . . it’s tough to accept.”

Meanwhile, Vicky Holland outsprinted best friend and housemate Non Stanford to win bronze for Great Britain in yesterday’s triathlon.

The pair, who train alongside the Brownlee brothers in Leeds, were together throughout the race and found themselves in the uncomfortable position after eventual winner Gwen Jorgensen and 2012 champion Nicola Spirig, who took silver, broke away on the run.

Holland waited until the final 100 metres to put in her kick and become the first British woman to win a medal in triathlon.

A devastated Stanford collapsed in a heap on the floor before the pair shared an emotional embrace.