OLIVER Dingley enjoyed a superb start to season, with three personal bests and two silver medals at the National Cup in Southend at the weekend.

The 21-year-old diver worked his way on the rostrum in both the one-metre and three-metre springboard finals.

And the pleasing results also handed Dingley an early confidence boost in his season.

“I was very pleased with how things went for me at the weekend, especially as it’s still early on in the season,” said Dingley.

“I set myself scores for the season that I wanted to try to reach during the year, but I actually beat them both at the weekend so I’m delighted.

“It’s certainly given me a real boost and now I want to be able to go on from here and keep on getting better.”

Dingley scored 403 points in the final of the three-metre category, having scored 434 in qualifying.

He was beaten by Olympian Jack Laugher who scored 494 and he also finished ahead of Dingley in the one-metre final.

Laugher claimed a new British record of 445 to see off Dingley who recorded a PB of 410.

And the Southend Diving club member now has his sights firmly set on reaching this summer’s Commonwealth Games in Glasgow.

“Those Games remain my biggest target of the season and this is a big step towards them,” said Dingley, who will next be in action in a Grand Prix event in Germany.

“My score in the prelims is above the qualifying mark but it doesn’t actually count in this competition.

“It’s good to know I have that in me though and I’ll be looking for more of the same when I compete in the British Championships, which are more important than the National Cup, in Sheffield this June.”

Dingley also teamed up with club-mate Duran Omer to finish fifth in the three metre synchro.