Daley faces a fight to get gold at Games after rival Mitcham finds form

By Sportsmail Reporter

Published: 04:34 EST, 4 April 2012 | Updated: 04:34 EST, 4 April 2012

Tom Daley's competition for a platform medal in London at the 2012 Olympics has intensified following the return to form of Olympic champion Matthew Mitcham at the Australian trials.

Mitcham has been plagued by injury for the past year but attracted perfect 10s from all seven judges on one of his dives to post a plus-550 score.

That would have been enough to beat Daley at last month's World Series event in Beijing, when the British teenager claimed silver behind world champion Qiu Bo.

Rivals: Tom Daley with Matthew Mitcham (left) and Qiu Bo (below, right)

'It looks like everything I'm doing is starting to work and fall into place,' Mitcham said. 'I'm starting to dive like the old me again. It is the first time since my injury last year that I have dived with no pain.'

Mitcham broke the Chinese domination at the 2008 Beijing Olympics when he won gold in the 10m platform, but his preparation for London has been undermined by a stomach injury suffered last April.

The 24-year-old made a return to international competition at February's World Cup meet at the London Aquatics Centre but failed to make the final.

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