SOUTHEND diver Tyler Humphreys knocked Tom Daley off his perch after adding more medals to his collection.

Tyler’s score of 216.05 in the 3m springboard bettered the record set by the 2012 Olympic Games 10m bronze medalist, when he was competing in the 11/12 age group.

The 11-year-old, who won a raft of medals at the national age group championships, secured a gold in Rome in the 3m springboard event and came days after he secured a golden hat-trick in the national age group championships at Sheffield.

“Tyler moved up an age group in Rome so to win a gold was a great achievement,” said proud mum Donna.

“We only put him in the competition for him to get experience and he was up against older divers who had more experience that he has.

“There were 37 divers in his group and it was a tough competition, so for him to win the gold was a major shock and better than we expected.”

Tyler’s Roman adventure started with a 12th place on the 5m platform, where he was competing against athletes from seven countries.

The gold came the following day with success in the 13/14 years 3m springboard.

And he was on course for another gold in the 1m springboard competition, but missed his dive and finished sixth.

Tyler, who is a member at Crystal Palace Diving Club, had earlier competed in the nationals at Ponds Forge in Sheffield, where he contested the 11/12 years category.

His first success came in the 1m springboard synchro where he secured a gold with Southampton Diving Academy member Angus Kerr, after only training together for the first time on the day of the competition.

Tyler’s second gold came in the 3m springboard where he was 32 points clear of his nearest rival, Sheffield’s Corey Goodinson.

Tyler completed his golden haul with victory on the 5m platform where he pipped Angus into second after finishing 3.15 points ahead of his Hampshire rival.

But Angus came good in the 1m springboard where he pipped Tyler to gold by two points.

Tyler started in the sport with Southend Diving at Garon Park, Southend, before moving to Crystal Palace.

He is coached at the south London club by 72-year-old former British Olympic head coach Chen Wen.

The man who spotted Daley when he was a junior, Wen travels a whopping 230 miles each week from Sheffield to train Tyler for 25 hours because he believes he has the potential to emulate British diving’s biggest name.