Stone pleased with effort in diving

Liam Stone turned in one of his best performances in the 1m springboard diving to earn sixth position in the final.

Stone, who is attending his third Commonwealth Games, is still on the comeback after recovering from a very serious back injury and his showing in Birmingham will give him renewed impetus. 

He totalled 377.90 points, which is a significant improvement on the 326 total he managed just a few weeks ago at the world championships. It was also better than the 362.35 he scored earlier in the day in the qualifying competition. 

The 26-year-old began the final disappointingly with a forward 2½ somersault in pike position that netted him just 59.86 points. However, he stepped up after that and perhaps his best dive was his fifth, a reverse 2½ tuck in a pike position that earned 69 points.

The competition was won by Jack Laugher of England, who gave a superb exhibition of diving and totalled 447.08.

Stone seemed buoyed by his effort.

“I only resumed training last December and it’s been a tough road back to regaining my form,” he said. “But that’s a good score, and I know I can do more. It’s a matter of having belief.”

In the women’s 10m platform qualifying, Mikali Dawson, a 17-year-old schoolgirl who is turning her attention to diving after several years as a gymnast, finished 14th with a score of 181.85.