• Club: City of Sheffield Diving Club
  • Coach: Steve Gladding
  • DOB: 24/06/1987
  • Height: 5ft 8in
  • Weight: 73kg
  • Born in: Farnborough
  • Lives in: Sheffield
  • Nickname: Peanut
  • Occupation: Olympic athlete

Where did you grow up?

London.

How did you get into diving?

I got into diving because I loved the water and enjoyed throwing myself off objects, I also learnt to swim as a young child at the age of 2, I just loved the water.

What do you like most about swimming?

Diving is energetic and full of crazy things to do such as spinning around 3 and a half times in the space of a second and swimming is great for your health and fitness.

Describe a typical day when you’re training?

I wake up at half 7, get down the pool for 9am, do an hour and a half of dry land training, e.g. on the trampolines, stretching, doing my dry board practice. Then we get in the water at about half 11 for an hour and then break for lunch. We get back in the water at about 2 for an afternoon session for about an hour. After that we do weights training. Through the day, I will snack on things such as bananas, cereal bars and anything that is not too fatty but that gives you the energy that you need to keep you going through the day.

What’s your favourite event?

The Olympics.

What was your finest ever performance and why?

It was either coming 4th at the World Cup in Beijing which was our qualification for the Olympics, we had to come in the top 4 out of 26 pairs to qualify for the games and we did it under immense pressure. Also, winning our first senior world medal at the Mexico FINA Diving World Series 2009 and going on to win the overall event.

What was your first senior international meet?

It was the European Championships in Geneva, many years ago.

Who are you role models?

Tony Ally. He was Great Britain’s best diver ever. He competed at 3 Olympics and did 4 or 5 Commonwealth Games. He medalled at the Commonwealths and made finals at the Olympics. He’s got a great personality and when I moved up to Sheffield, he took me under his wing and made my stay amazing and has looked after me ever since. He is like a big brother and it was an honour to train with him and compete with him before his retirement.

My mum and my girlfriend are great too. They keep me on the straight and narrow!

What are your aspirations in sport?

I want to be Olympic champion in the London 2012 Olympic Games.

What’s your tip for the top?

Train hard and make sure you put every ounce of energy in to what you do best and never give up.

What would you like to do when you retire from swimming?

I would like to help others, who are less fortunate than me, work with languages, and definitely travel the world and see the most amazing places. Also I would like to have my own business of some sort.

What or who is the biggest influence on your career?

My mum as she has always been there for me no matter what and again Tony Ally who really brought out the best in me.

What do you do when you’re not swimming?

I relax and chill with friends, go and enjoy time in the peak district, do other sports such as rock climbing or boxing.

What would you be if you weren’t a swimmer?

I would most probably be a boxer.

Who would you most like to meet?

Eddie Murphy, the actor Vin Diesel and Mohammed Ali.

What’s your most treasured possession?

My gold medal from the world series, my Olympic certificate and a photo of my godfather who passed away on January 14th 2008, he was like my dad.

What’s your favourite breakfast?

I normally eat healthily and have fruit and yoghurt in the morning, so I make sure I am putting the right fuel in. I especially love Kellogg’s Crunchy Nut Clusters, they are amazing. But a good old full English is great now and then!

What would we find in your shopping basket?

Definitely fruit, I love it, lots of vegetables and a load of healthy meat, especially steak, as it’s my favourite!