LONDON 2012: Laugher takes praise in his stride ahead of Games debut

Posted: Wednesday 11th July 2012 | 8:51

THINK diving, think Tom Daley but Great Britain team-mate Jack Laugher's star is also on the rise ahead of the London 2012 Olympics.

FUTURE: Jack Laugher, the world junior champion in 2010, is being tipped for a big future - with Olympic legend Greg Louganis among his fans

The 17-year old is tipped for a big future in the sport having become the first British diver to win a world junior title for more than a decade in 2010.

He has even impressed Olympic legend Greg Louganis, the four-time gold medalist who is acting as a mentor to US divers at London 2012.

But Laugher is not getting ahead of himself as he prepares to make his Olympic debut for Team GB in the 3m springboard event.

“Whatever people say about me I don't take it as pressure, it's great that people are praising me, it makes me feel proud that some people think I might be pretty good in the future," he said.

"That makes me happy and motivates me to try and be that and get better and better so I can prove them right.

“The Olympics is such a big competition, it's the biggest competition in any athlete's life. It is the pinnacle and I've reached it at a really young age and I'm very happy about that.

“But to actually be in a home Olympics and have a huge British crowd behind me will be amazing and I can't think of anything better than competing in the Olympics in my home country.”

Laugher knows divers don't normally peak until their mid 20's, meaning he may not even be at his best in four years time in Rio.

It means school work and sport must still be combined and he is currently studying for A Levels in maths, chemistry, physics and PE and admits it can be a strain.

“It's very hard to balance my studies with my diving,” he said.

“I have half-days every single day at school. I get up at 7am for that, and then get to the pool in the afternoons and evenings and train for four or five hours, and then get back.

“By that time I've got no time to do anything at all – I literally just eat tea and get into bed. It is really hard but everyone around me does really help me, my coach, my friends, my mum and dad, my schoolteachers."