Nel misses final, wins admirers at Rio

Ten months ago Grant Nel had no feeling in his right leg.

Doctors later told him he may never walk again.

Now Nel is standing tall - even after missing the Rio Olympic men's 3m springboard final.

The Australian diver was gutted after placing 15th in Tuesday's semi-final at Maria Lenk Aquatics Centre.

He missed the top 12 cut for Tuesday's medal event.

But the 28-year-old was not taking the setback lying down - he has already done plenty of that.

Last October Nel was bed ridden for six weeks.

The trouble began when Nel felt his right leg tighten as he drove back from a training session in Adelaide.

Then he felt nothing at all.

"I had to stop the car every few minutes because I couldn't feel my leg," Nel said.

"I couldn't sleep that night and they rushed me to hospital the next morning."

Scans revealed a back joint had shifted and was touching the major sciatic nerve.

To this day Nel has no idea how it happened.

Support from his mentor, three-time world champion Alexandre Despatie's ex-coach Michel Larouche, helped him get back on his feet.

Then came the real bombshell.

Doctors told him if he continued to dive, he may not be able to walk again.

Somehow Larouche helped nurse Nel back to full health, then full fitness.

Then an Olympic debut.

No wonder Nel was savouring his Rio experience on Tuesday, even after missing the final.

"I am very lucky to be here," he said.

And he's not done with yet.

Nel has already set his sights on the 2018 Gold Coast Commonwealth Games.

"I am diving the best I ever have and Michel has been phenomenal - I look forward to giving a little back to him," he said.

China's Cao Yuan topped the 3m semi-finals scoresheets but defending Olympic champion Illya Zakharov was a big name casualty, finishing last in the 18-strong field.