Daley qualifies despite injury

Tom Daley produced a poor performance by his own standards to make it through the 10 metre platform preliminary rounds before immediately rushing off for medical treatment at the World Championships in Barcelona.

It is Daley's first competition since he won World Series gold in Edinburgh in April after which shoulder and elbow injuries severely disrupted the 19-year-old's season.

Coach Andy Banks said on Friday that Daley was "chomping at the bit" to return after "a season from hell" and his introduction on Saturday was greeted with cheers and squeals.

However, missing so much training and preparation in a sport with such fine margins would inevitably takes its toll and Daley dropped a number of dives.

At one point he was 17th, with only 18 progressing to the semis, although he ended up 13th with 406.40 points with fellow Plymouth diver and European junior champion Daniel Goodfellow 28th (318.55pts).

It emerged Daley had suffered a tricep injury on an entry during training on Thursday, the elbow swelling and failing to lock out.

He was rushed for medical treatment with only an hour and a quarter between heats and semis although his participation is not in doubt at this stage.

Banks said: "The medical team are now busy with him, hopefully they can do a job with that so he can come back in a better place physically and mentally because of that. He is very good at that, very professional.

"It was off the diving board, on to the physio bed and try and prepare him for the next dive and try and get him through the prelim. He's through, that's the first thing."

Banks added: "We are starting over at zero again. He still managed 13th with diving slightly sub-standard and there is a lot left in there."