Shleikher wins Russian battle in 1m springboard

Ilia Molchanoc had the first three letters of his country shaved into the side of his head in a defiant declaration of gold-medal intent.

Perhaps he should have considered the threat posed by countryman Nikita Shleikher, however, who upset the form book to win gold in the men's 1m springboard event at the Baku Aquatics Centre on Thursday.

Having qualified in first place, 18-year-old Molchanov was unable to repeat the feat in the final as he slugged it out with 17-year-old Shleikher, who notched up 543.80 points for gold.

Behind the awesome twosome, Britain's James Heatly clinched bronze as surprise challenger Frithjof Seidel of Germany, who was the final qualifier from the preliminary round, faded in the final round to finish fourth.

"My mum and dad are in the stands, so I'm going to have a wee look at them. A wee look? I'm going to go and see them," said Heatly. His grandfather, Peter Heatly, was a three-time Commonwealth Games champion himself. "He's a very formal man," said James. "He's normally pretty chill but he always tells my dad how ecstatic he is."