Meldreth diver hoping to link up with Olympian for Rio 2016

Diving

MELDRETH-based diver Daniel Goodfellow has been selected to represent Great Britain at the Junior World Championships in Australia in October – and if things go well it could pave the way for a partnership with Tom Daley at the next Olympic Games in 2016.

The 15-year-old, who trains with the Cambridge Dive Team, will travel to Adelaide to take part in the 3m springboard and 10m platform events in what is one of the toughest competitions on the circuit. Two-time Olympian Daley, 18, will also travel to the event down under, in what will be his last junior competition before he turns 19 next year.

Goodfellow and his coach Marc Holdsworth met with GB national diving performance director Alexei Evangulov in Sheffield last week, where they discussed the prospect of pairing Goodfellow and Daley as synchro partners for the next Games in Rio should the Meldreth teenager impress in October.

Daley missed out on the medals in London when he was partnered by Pete Waterfield, and with the latter expected to retire, Goodfellow, who is ranked fourth best male diver in the country, would be among the favourites to take his place.

Goodfellow’s coach Holdsworth, says that while there is still plenty for the young diver to learn, he doesn’t doubt that his pupil has the ability to fulfil his enormous potential in the sport.

“The World Championships will be a great experience for Dan and this is just what he needs,” said Holdsworth. “We’re not expecting medals this time, but top 10 is what we’re aiming for. Dan will need to prove his undoubted ability on 10m amongst senior competitors and at the same time learn a few more dives.

“Then I have every belief a synchro partnership with Tom Daley is possible for Rio.”

Goodfellow said he can’t wait to make the 10,000-mile journey to take the next step in his blossoming career. “I’m really excited. Australia’s the one country in the world I’ve always really wanted to visit, and the competition is only six weeks away. I leave on October 1 for a six-day pre-comp camp. I’ll do the 10m and 3m. It’s a huge competition,” said Goodfellow.

“Tom Daley will be there since he’s still technically a junior until next year. I’m not likely to get a medal, but maybe finish in the top 10.

Goodfellow understandably said the prospect of linking up with Daley, who won a bronze medal in the solo event in London, for the next Games in four years. “It would be great. I love synchro. I’ve dived with two other partners – Sam (Thornton) and Freddie (Woodward),” he added. “If they make a mistake I don’t mind, and if I make a mistake, I know they won’t mind. It’s how it goes with synchro.

“It will have been like that between Tom and Pete Waterfield – even at the Olympics. So it’s okay. It will be fine with Tom. We get on and I may be the only diver who matches him in style and age.

“I have to learn a few more dives to get up to speed, but then we might start practicing together next year.”