High-board hero: How 13-year-old Olympic hopeful Tom Daley became the youngest European champion with ten perfect tens

At 13, and already earmarked to be Britain's youngest male Olympian this summer, Tom Daley outdived his rivals last night to set a European record.

Scything through the air with the greatest of ease, he became the youngest European champion off the 10 metre platform in a stunning performance that won ten perfect tens from the judges over the course of the competition.

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Tom, who may stand just 5ft 2in and have braces on his teeth, has long proven himself a tough competitor. But even he could barely believe his success.

"If somebody had told me at Christmas I would be a European champion at Easter my answer would have been 'go away'," he said.

"It was a perfect competition for me. If it seems as if I was without nerves I can tell you I have nerves - and they were quite tense."

His flawless dives in rounds four and five of the championships in Eindhoven, Holland, were enough to build up a big enough lead to hold off his rivals despite a less than impressive final effort.

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Last night's celebrations were, however, only likely to stretch as far as a Pot Noodle.

It is the one treat he is occasionally allowed as he trains for up to seven hours a day in his build up for Beijing.

Tom, from Plymouth, had already been marked out for glory as one of the Daily Mail's Magnificent Seven, a group of youngsters tipped to compete in London 2012.

So when he springs off the platform in China this summer he will be well ahead of schedule. And, at 14 years and 81 days, he will be certain of at least one record - the youngest male Briton to compete at an Olympics.

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Perhaps his biggest fan is his father Robert, 37, who accompanies him to every competition.

When Tom won his ticket to Beijing in a qualifying event earlier this year, his father recalled: "He hugged me so tight and I hugged him back.

"I was flooding with tears. When you think of the Olympics you think of names like Steve Redgrave, Seb Coe and Linford Christie. Now my son's one of those names."

But yesterday was the high point so far of a career that began at seven when Tom switched to diving from swimming because it looked "more exciting".

And there is sure to be more excitement to come. Not least because he is off to Mexico in ten days for a world cup competition. Not bad for a 13-year-old.