OVER half of Team England's diving squad for the Commonwealth Games, which starts on Wednesday, April 4, are from City of Leeds Diving Club.

The seven are Alicia Blagg, Chris Mears, Daniel Goodfellow, Jack Laugher, Matty Lee, newcomer Lois Toulson from Cleckheaton and Katherine Torrance from Pudsey.

Team England have previously won 67 medals in diving at the Commonwealth Games, including 27 gold, and topped the diving medal table at Glasgow 2014.

The 13-strong team already has nine Commonwealth medals between them, while a number of the chosen athletes will be competing at their first Games.

Three-time Commonwealth champion, reigning world champion and double Olympic bronze medallist Tom Daley will be returning to the Commonwealth stage as he headlines England’s squad.

Tom will be will be competing alongside Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth champions Alicia Blagg and Chris Mears, and British champions Matthew Dixon and Jack Haslam.

Daley, who will be competing in the individual ten-metre platform and three-metre synchronised events, said: “It is an honour to be selected to represent Team England at my third Commonwealth Games.

“I had a great year last year, retaining my ten-metre title at the World Championships, and I am hoping that I can build on that and put in some great performances out on the Gold Coast in April.”

Fresh from winning the 2018 British Diving Championships in the women’s ten-metre platform, Toulson will be joining Team England for the first time.

The European champion and world silver medallist in the mixed ten-metre platform synchronised event said: “I feel very honoured to be selected for my first Commonwealth Games, and I am looking forward to representing Team England out in Australia.

“I’ve had a good start to the year, holding on to my title at the British Diving Championships last month, so I’m feeling good about the Gold Coast. Hopefully I can keep that momentum going and put in some strong performances in April.”

Plymouth’s Dixon competed at Glasgow 2014 at the age of just 14 and since then has been making waves on the international circuit.

The 17-year-old took gold on the ten-metre platform at the European Junior Championships in Bergen and at the British Diving Championships last month he secured his place on the team after winning the ten-metre platform title.

Dixon said: “I am so pleased and honoured to be selected for the Commonwealth Games and to be representing Team England again as this is my second Commonwealths. I am so happy and excited to be going out to Australia, I can’t wait.”

City of Sheffield's Haslam secured his place on Team England when he took the three-metre springboard title at the British Diving Championships 2018.

Haslam will be flying out to the Gold Coast and competing alongside his brother Ross, who is also a City of Sheffield diver.

Commenting on his selection for Team England, Jack said: “The Commonwealth Games is one of the most prestigious competitions there is, so it’s a massive honour to be able to represent Team England.

“I am over the moon to be going to the Gold Coast and what makes it even more special is that one of the events that I will competing in over there will be the synchronised three-metre with my brother, which is incredible.”

Commenting on today’s announcement, Team England’s diving team leader Kim White said: “The announcement today shows we have a very strong team for the Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games. We’ve got a good mix of experienced athletes as well as some younger divers.

“We had a great British Diving Championships in Plymouth last month and I’m confident we’ll see some good performances on the Gold Coast. Hopefully we can build on our previous Commonwealth Games success and bring home a few medals from the four days of diving.”

Team England diving squad: Alicia Blagg, Chris Mears, Daniel Goodfellow, Jack Laugher, Katherine Torrance, Lois Toulson, Matty Lee (all City of Leeds), Jack Haslam, Ross Haslam (City of Sheffield), Matthew Dixon (Plymouth), Noah Williams, Robyn Birch, Tom Daley (Dive London).