Taylor, who was Britain's first diving Olympic medallist in 44 years when he took silver in Athens (pictured), and also claimed silver in the 10 metre individual discipline at the 2002 Commonwealth Games in Manchester, believes that the pressure of performing at home will drive them on to glory.

He is now a BBC Olympics commentator, as well as British teenage diving sensation Tom Daley's mentor.

"I think we can come away [from London 2012] with three medals," he told insidethegames.

"I'm not going to be drawn on what colour they will be, but two in the boys' events and one in the girls.

"The pressure will be a massive boost.

"Standing there having to perform when it counts, that's what you train for.

"I can't speak for everyone but for me I'd have soaked it all up.

"I remember in front of the home crowd at Manchester, I raised my performance to a whole new level, so I'd say many of the Team GB athletes will do that next year."

Standing in the way of Britain's divers next year will be the likes of Qui Bo (pictured), who took Daley's 10m world title at the World Championships in Shanghai last month, and Taylor believes the Chinese will be the toughest opponents in 2012.


"China have just completed a clean sweep at the Aquatics where they won all the golds.

"That is a statement in itself; they are a formidable force and will be for the foreseeable future.

"They will be the team to beat across all the events in the diving pool.

"[Tom] has proved himself, if you look at the team as a whole, you have him and Peter Waterfield paired up in the synchro, so that's a strong medal chance.

"They are both in the individual and when on form, they will be challenging."

Daley has been paired with Waterfield this year for synchronised competitions, and Taylor thinks that the 17-year-old has a partner who is well suited to his style.

"For Pete and Tom to be paired together this year is the right timing," he said. 

"Tom is 5ft 9.5ins, 72kilos, bigger, stronger and better able to stand alongside Pete, and they make a formidable pair.

"Earlier they'd have been slightly mismatched and the synchronisation they played a waiting game."

Taylor rates 16-year-old world junior champion Jack Laugher as another future medal prospect, and also tips 10m synchronised pair Tonia Couch and Sarah Barrow, who came fourth in Shanghai, for glory.

"Jack is a great guy, I saw the talent he had on the springboard.

"He is a formidable talent and it'll be good for him to get a few more years under his belt before he is challenging for medals.

"The girls are doing well, Tonia Couch and Sarah Barrow were challenging for the medals in Shanghai and the German pair just pipped them for the bronze and I was very impressed with their performance."

Taylor also admits that he'd love to be out there competing, rather than commentating on Britain's divers.

"If I could swap places with Tom Daley today, I would.

"I'd love to compete in the world's greatest event, the Olympic Games, and to compete in my home country.

"I know what it's like competing in front of a home crowd but don't know what it's like to compete in front of a home crowd at a home Olympics.

"I'd love to not be doing the BBC commentary and to stand on the diving board!"

Taylor was present two weeks ago for the opening of the Aquatics Centre as part of the one year to go celebrations across London, and is excited at the prospect of going back next year.

"It is truly world class, what an amazing venue and I can't wait to go back there when the roof will be literally ripped off with the noise."

During his successful diving career, Taylor invented the 'hardest dive in the world', two and a half backward somersaults with two and a half twists piked.

Taylor has also taken part in the Cadbury Spots v Stripes Minute To Win It festival tour ahead of the Cadbury show which hits screens in the autumn and will be shown on ITV.

The 'Minute To Win It' initiative seeks to encourage Britain to be more competitive by taking part in easy to play one-minute games.

So does Taylor think that people in Britain are competitive enough?

"I think we are sometimes potentially a bit lacklustre, we sit on our hands a bit more and what I'm excited about is that it's dead easy to get involved," he said.

"There are no excuses - the games can be played in a minute and you can download them."

For more information on Cadbury's 'Spots v Stripes Minute To Win It' campaign, please click here, where you can also find and play the 'Minute To Win It' games.

Contact the writer of this story at [email protected]