Story by Jeff Ang/YOG News Room

Wednesday, August 18, 2010 — World champion Tom Daley might grace the diving pool at the Youth Olympic Games (YOG) after all.

The 16-year-old pulled out of the European Championships in Budapest last weekend due to a tricep injury and was a doubt for the YOG. But the situation might not be as dire as it first seemed.

Tom’s coach Andy Banks explained: “We did a scan for Tom in Budapest and it showed that there wasn’t any tear in his tricep.”

For added assurance, the diver underwent another scan after arriving in Singapore yesterday — the results of which are due today. Banks added that the British team’s physiotherapists will assess his condition once the scan results are out to give the final green light as to whether he will participate in the inaugural YOG.

Tom is arguably one of the YOG’s biggest stars and his absence would have been a dampener on the event as a whole.

He was at the Toa Payoh Swimming Complex yesterday doing exercises on land. He also tested the springboard with some basic jumps.

Missing the YOG is something the teen is not looking forward to.

“I’m really looking forward to the competition at the YOG as there are quality divers. I’d be really gutted if I can’t compete,” he told The Straits Times.

In an earlier interview, he said that he ranks the YOG high on his list of competition schedules this season, which includes September’s World Junior Championships in Tucson, Arizona.

Tom is entered for both diving events on offer — the 3m springboard and the 10m platform. He won the World Championships last year in Rome for the latter, which is his pet event.

Should Tom be allowed to compete, fans will be able to catch the rivalry between him and China’s Qiu Bo, the 2008 world junior champion.

Said Tom of his Chinese rival: “I’m looking forward to seeing what new dives he might have and how much he has improved. So, he should be tough competition.”