Jack Laugher column: Getting a peek at Olympic venue

I’m currently out in Rio for the Diving World Cup, which began on Friday and I’m basically going to be the team mascot.

I’ll be done on the first day of competing, which is six days before we go home, so I’ll be sat there training as well as supporting every single event. It’s going to be interesting to say the least.

Generally, it’s more important to support your team than see the city, so I will be there at every competition – prelims, semis and finals – making sure I make the most noise for my team-mates and hopefully make them dive well.

We’ve got a whole day in Rio after we finish competing before we fly home, so that will be the time we go and see the sights maybe.

It is only small amounts of free time at competitions, so it’s nothing like a holiday but it’s lovely still.

Heading out to Rio, where the Olympics will be held in less than six months, is a massive motivation boost.

I’ve been here before but the pool where the diving will be contested was just a shell then, it wasn’t decorated. It will be interesting to see what they’ve done and how it is different.

It’s going to be fantastic and I’m really excited to compete in the test event.

Nothing excites you more than basically doing exactly what you’re going to be doing six months later at the Olympic Games.

It’s a really good competition and I’m only doing synchro, no individual events. I’ve already qualified a quota place for the Olympics and you can’t qualify another, so it’s good for other people to get exposure and some competition experience.

The competition has meant that I was away for Valentine’s Day though, which didn’t go down brilliantly with my girlfriend, but we don’t really celebrate it that much to be fair.

I don’t think I need a designated day to tell someone I love them, I think it’s just an excuse to get people gifts or whatever.

I got her a little something to kind of say sorry for being away, but Christmas and birthdays are more important to us.

It’s more the fact I’m going away for two weeks – I’m sure she will miss me.

Obviously Lent has now started and I’m sure a lot of people will be giving up food or drink for 40 days but I’m not giving up anything specific.

I try and be fairly strict with my diet anyway, so I’ll just try to be as healthy as I can for Lent.

I don’t think it’s time for me to start giving up carbs or anything like that because I’ve got such a heavy schedule. It’s all about staying in shape as we build towards the Olympics.

I’m just going to try and keep as healthy as I can for the 40 days without giving something up.

It would be nice to give something up I must admit but I think I love my food too much to do it very successfully anyway.

l Aldi are proud supporters of Team GB. Read more from Jack Laugher at www.teamgb.com/homegrownheroes