British divers see performance more important than medals in the Olympic Games, British diving team chief said on Wednesday.
"We'd like to win," said Steve Foley. "But we are a very young team and inexperienced. We have 10 divers in our team, five boys and five girls. And it's eight divers' first Olympics.
"They have a lot to learn. If they can play their personal best, then there may be a medal. We are interested in their performances, not the medals."
In their second training day in the Water Cube, the British divers started training at 10:10 am and left the iconic Olympic venue at 11:50 am.
Thomas Daley, the 14-year-old wunderkind, is seen as the most hopeful diver in the team after finishing third in the men's 10m platform synchronized in the World Cup on February.
"Daley is very talented," said Foley. "He is young and he will learn a lot here. In 2012 Olympic Games in London, he will be very strong.
"We will be a very strong team after four years."
Nicolars Robinson-Baker and Benjamin Swain, fourth in February's World Cup held in the Water Cube, will compete for the men's 3m springboard synchronized in the Olympic Games.
"I really hope for a medal," said Baker. "This year in Nanjing we are the second, and in World Cup we are the fourth. The gold is too difficult because the Chinese divers are too strong. But maybe we can make the second or the third. Definitely I want a medal.
"This time it's in Beijing. Chinese divers are in China, and they will be stronger."
Foley said the British divers liked the Water Cube.
"I like the decorations. When I first came here in February, it's almost all white, but now it's colorful," he said. "The divers all love the pool."
(Xinhua News Agency July 30, 2008)