Yorkshire's diving sextet bound for Rio with Team GB
Six Yorkshire divers are part of an 11-strong squad named to represent Team GB at the Rio Olympics this summer.
City of Leeds Diving club will send five athletes in red, white and blue of Team GB; Harrogate’s Jack Laugher, Wakefield’s Alicia Blagg, Huddersfield’s Lois Toulson and Leeds-based Rebecca Gallantree and Chris Mears.
Sheffield’s Freddie Woodhead of the City of Sheffield Diving Club, will also head to Rio.
Tom Daley headlines the team, and he believes he is in his best position yet to finally snare an elusive Olympic gold medal.
Daley, who will be competing in his third Olympics in Brazil, is part of an 11-strong squad which also includes double 2015 World Championship medallist Jack Laugher.
Since winning bronze in London in 2012, Daley has moved his training base to London and joined up with Zimbabwe-born coach Jane Figuerido.
Daley said: “Working with Jane has changed the way I dive and I really can’t wait to be in the Olympic environment again.
“I’ve really loved competing through the last two years and got really promising results at the World Championships and European Championships.
“To have the confirmation that I’m going to my third Olympic Games is really exciting. Rio was amazing when we went in February and I can’t wait to go back and see what the pool will look like.”
Laugher, who suffered an early exit on his Games debut in London, is one of six more returning Olympians in the squad, along with his synchro partner Mears, Gallantree, Blagg, Sarah Barrow and Tonia Couch.
Toulson and Woodward will be joined by fellow debutants Daniel Goodfellow and Grace Reid.
Couch, who like Daley will be competing in her third Games, said: “It’s really exciting to be able to say I am officially going to the Rio 2016 Olympic Games.
“I feel I have learnt so much from both Beijing and London that I can use to my advantage in Rio.”