Bedggood devastated by Rio 10m finish

Not even making an Olympic final on debut could cheer up Australian diver Domonic Bedggood on Saturday.

Then again, he had his reasons to be upset.

First his good mate - gold medal favourite Tom Daley - sensationally failed to qualify for the Rio Olympic 10m platform final.

Then Bedggood was rattled by the Maria Lenk Aquatics Centre's outdoor setting during the night 10m final and finished last in the 12-strong field.

"I wanted to feel like I deserved to be out there but with that poor a performance I didn't really so it is what it is," a devastated Bedggood said.

"I don't like to make excuses but as an indoor diver I'm not used to the outdoor setting.

"But Tom Daley didn't even make it to the final so that is sport for you.

"I know I've got a lot more to give."

In Daley's shock absence, Chen Aisen dominated to claim China's first 10m gold since 2004.

Overall, China won seven of the eight diving gold on offer in Rio.

They didn't have it all their own way - three-time reigning world champion Qiu Bo finished a surprise sixth in the 12-strong 10m field on Saturday night.

But the big shock came in the semi-finals.

Daley of Great Britain finished last in Saturday's 18-strong field.

"I'll be honest, I am a bit heartbroken for him," said Bedggood.

"He's a close friend so I am pretty upset."

Not as upset as Daley.

An emotional Daley, 22, admitted he had no idea what had gone wrong.

The former world champion dominated Friday's preliminary round, notching a personal best 571.85 points from six flawless dives - a score that would have comfortably won London Olympic gold.

But he managed only 403.25 in the semi-finals, what he described as his lowest total since he was diving internationally at 14.

"After four years of effort, it's tough to accept," Daley said.

But he vowed to bounce back at Tokyo 2020.

"I know I can win that gold medal," he said.

Bedggood, 21, had his own soul searching to do.

"You know I'm just trying to take this as experience and use it as fuel to the fire for the next four years," he said.