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Tom Daley wins gold at World Championships

Tom Daley has won his first individual title in eight years
Tom Daley has won his first individual title in eight years

Tom Daley responded from his Olympic disappointment and kept his composure to win a second World Championships 10-metres platform title in Budapest on Saturday.

The 23-year-old Plymouth diver was inconsolable after missing out on qualification from the Olympic semi-final in Rio last August, having been peerless in the earlier qualification heat.

With husband Dustin Lance Black, the Hollywood screenwriter, alongside his mum Debbie in the Duna Arena, Daley this time delivered when the pressure was on to add to the world title he first won in 2009, aged 15.

Daley won with a total of 590.95 points and his success may have made some amends for his performance in Brazil.

However, it may be bitter sweet, too, as China’s Chen Aisen, who won Olympic gold in Rio, finished second with 585.25 points.

Chen won Olympic gold with 585.30.

Bronze went to China’s Yang Jian with 565.15, while Briton Matty Lee was 12th.

Daley’s medal took Great Britain’s tally from the diving pool to three.

Earlier on Saturday, Daley and Grace Reid earlier claimed silver in the mixed synchronised 3m springboard.

Daley immediately returned to training for his individual final, where he climbed to the top of the podium once more.

Daley, the London 2012 bronze medallist, was third in the world in Kazan two years ago.

He was unable to explain his Olympic exit but vowed to go for gold again in Tokyo.

And Daley led throughout the competition in Budapest after a fine series of dives.

He had an advantage of 5.7 points – 484.75 to 479.05 – over Chen going into the last of six rounds.

However, Chen piled on the pressure, scoring 106.20 with his final dive to leave the Briton needing his best dive of the series to win.

And Daley succeeded, scoring 106.20 to spark jubilant celebrations among his team-mates and a large British contingent in the stands.

Daley had a busy afternoon.

China’s Wang Han and Li Zheng took gold with 323.70 points, Daley and Reid silver with 308.04 points and Jennifer Abel and Francois Imbeau-Dulac of Canada bronze with 297.72.

Daley and Reid won the European title in London in May 2016 and joined Lee and Lois Toulson – silver medallists in the synchronised 10m platform event – as medal winners from the World Championships.