BEIJING, Feb 25, 2008 (AFP) - Diving prodigy Tom Daley, aged 13, is poised to become Britain's youngest male Olympian after finishing seventh in the 10m platform at the World Cup, a qualifying event for the Beijing Games.

　　"To finish in seventh place is amazing and I am absolutely over the moon," said the schoolboy from Plymouth late Sunday.

　　Daley finished one place ahead of teammate Peter Waterfield, who won a silver medal at the Athens Olympics in the 10m synchronised event.

　　"My goal for the Olympics is just to get out there and enjoy myself," Daley said. "But I will be aiming to put together six good dives."

　　The teenager will be 14 years and 80 days old when the August 8-24 Beijing Games begin, and barring injury he will beat the record for the youngest British male Olympian by more than a year.

　　But his real target is London 2012, when he hopes to be among the challengers for gold.

　　"I will be a little bit older and a little bit stronger so I will be able to do the more difficult dives," said Daley, who started in the sport as a seven-year-old.

　　"Add to that the experience I will gain at the Beijing Olympics and I hope I will be able to go for the gold in London."

　　Daley has already drawn the attention of international rivals and has won praise from China's coach Zhou Jihong. Asked about foreign divers who had impressed him, he said: "Daley will be 14 this year. I saw his performance at the 2007 World series in Britain. He is talented, with clean executions. The degree of difficulty of his dives will increase as he grows older."

　　On Friday Daley and his partner Blake Aldridge won a bronze medal in the 10m synchro and he could appear in that event also at the Beijing games.

　　However, each nation gets only one slot in the doubles event and Waterfield and his partner Leon Taylor are also vying for that spot.

　　"In the trials in June we'll find out who takes up the place out of me and Blake or Leon and Pete," he said.

　　The record for the youngest British Olympian was previously held by Fred Hodges, also a diver. Hodges was 15 years and 94 days when he went to the 1936 Berlin Olympics.