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MELISSA Wu doesn't want to be a has-been at just age 19.

So the diminutive diver is using the fact she missed out on an individual event at this week’s world diving championships in Shanghai as motivation heading towards next year’s London Olympics.Wu competes alongside partner Alex Croak in the 10m platform synchronised in China on Monday, her only event of the meet after placing third in the individual 10m event at trials.there she was beaten by Australian diving’s new teenage sensation, 15-year-old Brittany Broben, and Croak, after a preparation marred by injuries.While Wu was Australian diving’s next big thing when she bust onto the scene as a 13-year-old at the 2006 Commonwealth Games in Melbourne, she says a "new cycle” in Australian diving has arrived. "I’m very motivated, I guess it (missing an individual dive) is sort of a kick up the arse a little bit,” said Wu, who won silver in synchro at the Bejiing Olympics and was sixth in the individual event."I know that the younger ones are coming after me and it’s very tough competition, I’ve known that all along."But it makes me really, really passionate about diving and wanting to do my best next year as well."… It’s a whole new cycle and Brittany is where I was four years ago."That’s what happens in sport and it keeps you on your toes and it gives you the drive that you need to keep working hard and get the best out of yourself.”After Wu and Croak claimed synchro gold at last year’s Commonwealth Games, Wu has pushed through the pain barrier to continue earning strong synchro results, and mixed fortunes in individual events.she said a combination of injuries including problems with her hip, back and wrist had hampered her progress and was looking forward to getting her fitness back on track after Shanghai."It’s been difficult get the training behind me that I needed,” she said."I’m hoping after world championships and after a break I’ll be able to let myself recover and have some really solid training behind me heading into next year.”Meanwhile, Sharleen Stratton qualified third in the preliminary round of the 1m springboard, with Broben in 10th to also reach Tuesday’s final.”I felt really good out there today and just concentrated on each dive to make sure I completed them well,” Stratton said.”I am very pleased to make the final even though this is not my strongest event.”Broben said: ”This is not my preferred event so I am happy with my result today.“I was really nervous out there but as the dives progressed, I really started to enjoy it. It is a very tough competition with so many divers out there today.”

Tags: croak, synchronised