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James Milton eyes partnership with Tom Daley
YORKSHIRE diver James Milton is hopeful his friendly rivalry with Tom Daley can help the duo to the top of their sport by the 2012 Olympics in London.
Milton and Daley, both 14 years old, have grown up competing against each other in pools around Britain, and more lately the world, during which time they have become good friends.
In recent years Milton has seen his good mate forge an international reputation for himself, highlighted by his appearance as the youngest of Britain's Olympians at Beijing last year.
Daley gave indication of his potential in China when he finished seventh in the 10-metre platform to establish himself as one of the young British talents to watch ahead of the Olympics in London.
Milton, however, is determined not to let the Plymouth diver steal all the headlines and, on the eve of the British Diving Championships in Sheffield, is hoping he can start to catch up some ground on Daley.
"I have been in his shadow for the past three or four years, but I always tell him that I am going to go past him," Milton said.
"He has done loads already and I think I can be better than him.
"We both chat to each other and I say I'm going to be better and he talks about me being better than him.
"We are good friends and Tom says he hopes that we are both going to be at the Olympics together and winning.
"I really hope that happens."
British Diving's national performance director, Steve Foley, certainly believes Milton has the ability to establish a name for himself.
Speaking ahead of the three-day long national titles, which act as qualifiers for the World Championships in Rome in July, Foley said he was looking forward to seeing the progress of Milton and other young divers.
"We have some strong juniors that are coming through and I am hoping to see them push the Olympic athletes all the way and make them look over their shoulder," he said.
"For someone like James Milton this competition will be the first event in which he will be seen as a senior athlete and he will be competing alongside Tom Daley, Ben Swain and Callum Johnstone and I will be keen to see how James and the other junior athletes deal with the pressure of competing alongside Olympians."
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Saturday 26 May 2012
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