Daley, 13, earns his Olympic spot to dive into record books

13 April 2012

Tom Daley is set to become Britain's youngest male Olympian after he qualified for the Beijing Games in the 10-metre dive competition.

Daley, 13, took bronze in the 10m synchro event at the FINA Diving World Cup but finished seventh in the individual to secure his place in China.

Beijing boy: Daley will break age barrier

The Plymouth prodigy, one of Sportsmail's Magnificent Seven to follow leading up to the 2012 Games, will be 14 years and 81 days when the Olympic competition begins in August, which would see him take the title from another diver, Fred Hodges, who was 15 years and 94 days at the 1936 Berlin Games.

'I'm absolutely over the moon. I can't believe I've done it,' said Daley. 'Just going to the Games is enough but to be the youngest male Olympian is absolutely phenomenal.

'I'm totally overwhelmed. It's something I've dreamed about but this was meant to happen in 2012 and not in 2008.

'I'm so happy with the way I dived, especially that last one. I missed one but that's what happens sometimes.

'I'm going to go to the Olympics and enjoy every minute of it. It's going to be an amazing experience and one that I was desperate to have before London.'

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