• ESPN Sports Personality of the Year

Tom Daley - On a springboard to glory

Tom Daley added double Commonwealth gold to his growing medal collection © Getty Images

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• Profile: Tom Daley

At 5 in our list for ESPN Sports Personality of the Year is a diver who continues to carry British Olympic hopes on his young shoulders.

Tom Daley is not your usual 16-year-old. While most teenagers his age are worried about acne, girls and what songs to download onto their iPod, Daley is already a World, Commonwealth and European champion, not to mention a teenage pin-up.

Since he first burst onto the scene in at the age of 14 when he became the youngest member of the 2008 British Olympic team, the records have just kept tumbling.

At the age of 15 he became Britain's first world diving champion in Rome, and the youngest British world champion in any sport. Daley is considered one of Britain's main hopes for Olympic gold at London 2012, and he underlined that claim with double gold in Delhi.

It was a season blighted by injury; Daley missed the British Championships in May with a niggling back problem, and failed to defend his European title in Budapest because of a torn tricep. But he bounced back to add double gold to his growing trophy cabinet, having already gained top grades in his GCSEs.

Tom Daley and Max Brick won gold in the 10m synchro © Getty Images

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With new partner Max Brick, Daley claimed his first gold in the 10m synchronised event as the young pair finished ahead of Australia and Canada.

He then underlined his talent, producing a perfect dive to see off Olympic champion Matt Mitcham, before claiming the double in the individual event. Having trailed at the halfway stage, Daley showed maturity beyond his years to record perfect 10s on his third dive to take the lead.

He dedicated the win to his father Rob, who has supported his son's career since he began diving at the age of 7. Having recently undergone chemotherapy for brain cancer, Daley Snr was advised not to travel to India.

"All I can say is that one is for you," said Daley Jnr. "I knew you would be watching on TV and I had to do it for you."

With world, European and Commonwealth titles already in the bag, only Olympic glory remains.

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.