Mitcham heads Australia's Olympic diving hopes

SYDNEY (AFP) –

Australia’s Matthew Mitcham poses with the silver medal for the men’s 10m platform diving at the Commonwealth Games in 2010. Mitcham will spearhead Australian diving hopes at the London Olympics after being named Tuesday in a 10-person squad.

Gold medallist Matthew Mitcham will spearhead Australian diving hopes at the London Olympics after being named Tuesday in a 10-person squad which includes Beijing Games teammate Melissa Wu.

Mitcham, who performed the highest scoring dive in Olympic history to come from behind to snatch gold in the 10m platform in Beijing, won the event at the Australian championships in April after a long stretch of injury.

The 24-year-old said injuries including abdominal problems had kept him from his best in recent months.

“I feel like the underdog again in London,” he said.

“I’ve had a few injuries that have kept me from my best but it is good to go in without all that pressure. No one expects me to win and I feel more comfortable when I am in that position.”

He added: “I believe I can win gold again in London. I’ve done it before and know what it takes.”

Mitcham will be joined in London by Wu, who won silver in the synchronised 10m platform in 2008, the 2010 Commonwealth Games 3m gold medallist Sharleen Stratton and Loudy Wiggins, 32, who will be at her fourth Olympics.

Wiggins, who won bronze in Sydney in the 10m platform synchronised and again in Athens in the 10m platform, will become the only Australian diver to compete at four Games when she joins Rachel Bugg in the 10m platform synchronised.

The team heads to the Madrid Grand Prix on June 15-17, except for Mitcham who remains in Australia to catch up on training missed during his lay-off.

Australian team

Brittany Broben (10m platform), Rachel Bugg (10m platform synchronised), James Connor (10m platform), Matthew Mitcham (10m platform), Jaele Patrick (3m springboard), Anabelle Smith (3m springboard synchronised), Sharleen Stratton (3m springboard, and synchronised), Ethan Warren (3m springboard), Loudy Wiggins (10m platform synchronised), Melissa Wu (10m platform)