German diver Patrick Hausding still hungry for success after decade at the top

Hausding is one of the oldest divers in the competition but he remains as eager to succeed as ever.

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Germany's Patrick Hausding has been at the top of diving for a decade and has won 14 European titles, but he is hungry for more success at the Glasgow 2018 European Championships.

"I feel motivated by the incentive to test myself and to compare myself to others," said the 29-year-old, who won his first European gold in the men’s 10m synchronised event at the 2008 championships. "I'll continue to try to reach my potential and try to remain in the divers' heads."

Hausding is one of the oldest divers in the competition, which starts on 6 August at the Royal Commonwealth Pool in Edinburgh. He plans to compete in the 1m springboard as well as in his favoured 3m individual and synchronised events.

"I am fascinated by the mixture of courage, body control, aesthetics and thrill. You don't find that in many sports," he said.

He took bronze in the individual 3m event at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games and also won silver in the 10m synchro with long-time partner Sascha Klein at the 2008 Beijing 2008 Olympic Games. Even when his partners have retired or pulled out of the sport with injury, Hausding has kept going.

When Klein retired last year, Hausding carried on in the synchonised event with Stephan Feck but, with Feck injured, he has now teamed up with Lars Ruediger.

"A new synchronised partner is always an adjustment, but also a challenge," the German said. "I like challenges and therefore I’m going into the competition with Lars fully motivated. We didn't have as much training as I did with Stephan, but you always have to start somewhere."

Hausding was sidelined with a knee injury earlier this year and only came back to competition in June. "My form could be better, but that doesn't affect my experience," he said. "It was important to get in shape for the Europeans and hopefully it will remain that way."

He hopes to make up for his disappointment in the 3m springboard last year, when he could manage only 14th at the Europeans, but knows the competition is going to be tough.

"I learned from that experience that European and world championships now are almost at the same level and you can't expect too much regarding medals," he said.