FORMER Southend Diving club member Oliver Dingley won his first event as an Irish competitor when beating multiple World Champion Tom Daley at the Irish Open in the National Aquatic Centre in Dublin.

Dingley, who won a bronze medal for England at last year’s Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, is set to become Ireland’s first Olympic diving representative since London 1948 when he steps out on to the board in Rio next year and is seeking funding for this slice of history via pledgesports.org.

The seeds were sown for the 22-year-old’s switch to Ireland after he was not selected for the British diving team at London 2012.

Dingley has since relocated from Garon Park to the National Sports Campus in Dublin with his coach of 16 years, Damian Ball.

But, with diving being so low down the pecking order when it comes to handing out Olympic year funding, Dingley is in need of sponsorship and is calling upon his fans to give to his cause, promising in return to do everything he can to bring back an Irish medal from Rio 2016.

As well as his promise and commitment to achieving Olympic success for his supporters, Dingley is offering backers a once in a lifetime chance to get a diving lesson from him.

To support Oliver Dingley’s bid to make Irish Olympic history, visit: www.pledgesports.org/ projects/diving-making-irish-history