UK Olympic hopeful celebrates 18th birthday win

Britain\'s Olympic diving hopeful Tom Daley Britain\'s Olympic diving hopeful Tom Daley, recorded a personal best to win the 10 metre platform gold at the European Championships in Eindhoven to repeat his 2008 success at the same venue when he was just 13. He finished a huge 50 points clear of his nearest rival. The last of his dives, the reverse 3½ somersaults tucked, was the crowning moment of his routine, picking up three perfect 10s from the judges.
Daley achieved a mark of 565.05 in the Netherlands and thinks the score will send a message to his rivals; Chinese world champion Qiu Bo, American David Boudia and Australia’s defending Olympic champion, Matthew Mitcham.
\"Word will spread because it\'s quite a high score and they will start thinking about what they can do,\" said Daley.
\"It means so much to be European champion again with a personal best and I couldn\'t have asked for anything more,\" he told BBC Sport.
Daley\'s achievements on Sunday are all the more impressive given his preparations were hampered by a triceps injury.
Daley, who turns 18 today said via Twitter:  “Gold!!!! I am European Champion again!!! Aaaah....and I\'m 18 tomorrow!!! Aaaah!!!”
\"Training hasn\'t been consistent for the last week or so which was a bit annoying, but going into the competition I just had to get myself into the right mind frame,\" said Daley.
\"The Plymouth-based diver thinks his 2012 European success will increase Olympic expectations.  
\"It will probably pile on a lot more pressure, but to be honest all I can do is my best and if that\'s not good enough there\'s not much I can do about it,\" he said. \"But I\'m going to try my utmost to try and get up on the podium.\"
Daley\'s victory rounded off for the British diving team.
They achieved their best-ever European Championships, after Tonia Couch and Sarah Barrow took gold in the 10m platform synchronised event on Wednesday.
\"Historically, our performances at European Championships don\'t make good reading,\" said GB diving coach Andy Banks.
\"We\'ve never had all of our divers make finals before and some are competing in their first major international, so it bodes well, leading into London and also beyond to 2016 and the Rio Olympics.\"
The team will return to action at Ponds Forge in Sheffield from 8-12 June, when they compete for Olympic selection at the London 2012 trials
The Plymouth teenager was given a public dressing down by his Russian performance director, Alexei Evangulov, before the World Cup in February for focusing too much on his media work, but a lifetime best score of 565.05 provided further proof that he is back on world-class form.