• FINA World Championships

Daley and Waterfield miss out on medal in Shanghai

Tom Daley and Pete Waterfield failed to medal in the 10-metre platform © Getty Images

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Tom Daley and Pete Waterfield defied the odds to qualify for the final of the 10-metre synchronised platform event, but failed to medal at the World Championships in Shanghai.

Daley, who lost his father to brain cancer in May, was nearly left without a partner when Waterfield came down with a mystery 'flu-like illness and was not sure if he was well enough to compete.

The pair trained for the first time in over a week on Saturday, and amassed a total of 427.47 points to finish fifth in the preliminary round, but they were unable to better their qualifying efforts as they finished sixth in the final.

China claimed its second gold of the championships with a dominant display by Qui Bo and Huo Liang. Germany's Patrick Hausding and Sascha Klein claimed silver, while the bronze medals went to Ukrainian pair Oleksandr Gorshkovozov and Oleksandr Bondar.

"I thought our performance went okay considering the situation. I think we were very lucky to be able to compete and we did quite well considering the circumstances," Daley said. "You have to prepare. It's a 'what if' situation, you have to think of all the things that could happen.

"It could have happened just before the Olympics and you have to make the most of the situation and we just tried our best after minimal training."

"When you miss a week's worth of training you can definitely tell," Waterfield admitted. "I was feeling a little bit flat, I still can't hear out of one ear and mixed in with a bit of wind it's tough.

"The main thing is that when I haven't trained for a week my confidence isn't quite there. "So I am a little bit wary, I'm not sure if I'm in the right place. When that comes back we will be fine. But I got there and did the best I could."

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