GREAT Britain’s top diving stars have returned to Southend for their first Team Tokyo Camp.

Olympic champions Jack Laugher and Chris Mears joined Tom Daley and the rest of the country’s best divers at the Southend Diving Centre to begin their preparations for the 2020 Olympics.

And British Diving’s national performance director Alexei Evangulov was delighted to see divers of all ages training alongside each other.

“It’s the first time we’ve had a camp like this,” said Evangulov.

“It’s the Team Tokyo Camp and all of these divers are, in our opinion, probables to make the team for the next Olympics in Tokyo.

“Team A are the top divers, team B are the second team and the juniors are here too.

“It’s the first team we’ve had them all together but it encourages everyone even though they are working towards different things.”

Echo:

Olympic champions - Jack Laugher and Chris Mears

And Evangulov also hopes that the presence of the sport’s top stars will see more youngsters from Southend start to dive.

“We would like to encourage the local programme,” said Evangulov.

“It’s developing and growing.

“The little kids from Southend are here watching and I’m sure it will inspire them.”

Southend Diving’s highly-rated Tyler Humphreys was part of the camp and Evangulov believes it will be hugely beneficial for the youngster’s progress.

“Tyler is in the camp,” confirmed Evangulov.

“He’s training with Olympic champions and it is very good for him and all of the other young divers we have here with us in Southend.”

DIVERS WILL BE BACK

GREAT Britain’s divers will hold their training camp for the World Championships in Southend this summer.

Olympic champions Jack Laugher and Chris Mears trained alongside Tom Daley and the country’s best divers last week.

But British Diving’s national performance director Alexei Evangulov confirmed they would soon be returning.

“Prior to the World Championships in July we will be back here for a week,” admitted Evangulov.

“We like it here and that’s why we would like to come back because it’s really good.  “It has all the contemporary requirements and the dry area is perfect.  “Not everyone has the synchro friendly boards that are here, they are wide and it will therefore be good to have the camp here.”