PLYMOUTH’S Aidan Heslop was happy with his performance in the individual 10m platform competition at the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham.

The 20-year-old has been competing on the Red Bull Cliff Diving Series, but he dropped down 17-metres to represent Wales in his second Commonwealth Games on Sunday.

He ended up finishing eighth with 408.00 points in a highly-competitive 10m final at the Sandwell Aquatics Centre. He was less than one point behind England’s synchro gold medallist and Olympian Noah Williams.

His score was better than he achieved four years ago in Australia.

“I’m happy with the competition,” said Heslop. “There are a few things I could have done differently to bump my score up but it’s an improvement on four years ago.

“To be training for this alongside the high diving has made it harder but I’m content with my work here. I’ve accomplished what I came here to do.

“The cliff diving and platform stuff go hand in hand, but it’s definitely harder as you have to be so specific. To come and get over 400 points is great, I’m happy.

“Representing Wales means so much to me, and especially for my mum. To come back and get the support from the Welsh crowd is so nice.”

Heslop will also be in action on Monday – the final day of the Commonwealth Games – when he competes in the mixed platform synchro event with Ruby Thorne.

But there was disappointment in the Sandwell pool on Sunday for fellow Plymouth diver Matt Dixon, who was forced to pull out of the 10m individual final due to a back injury.

Dixon, who had won the silver medal in Australia four years ago, looked troubled all the way through the preliminary competition and although he did enough to reach the final, he was not fit enough to feature.

It remains to be seen if he is fit enough to compete in the three-metre mixed synchro event on Monday.

Meanwhile, former Plymouth Marjon hockey player Giselle Ansley helped England women to their first Commonwealth Games gold medal. She now has a complete collection of gold medals having won the European Championships with England and an Olympic title with Great Britain.