OLYMPIC silver medallist Peter Waterfield is out of this weekend's Champions Cup diving finals in Sweden - after washing his car!

The Southampton-based Athens hero has picked up a back injury - although he doesn't know how he did it.

"My back felt a bit weak but I was fine in training and after doing weights," revealed Waterfield, "but I was washing my car and I just felt it go.

"I've really done it in."

Waterfield, who stole the show at the British Championships in Sheffield earlier this season with three golds and a silver, was looking forward to getting back on the high boards, especially having added a new dive to his difficult repertoire.

The 2002 Commonwealth Gold medallist has introduced a back, three-and-a-half somersaults pike dive to his locker - and he was hoping the Stockholm event would be the perfect opportunity to showcase it.

But Waterfield, who alongside Leon Taylor won Britain's first diving medal for 44 years in Greece last summer, is not leaving anything to chance.

With the US and Canadian grand prix just around the corner, Waterfield is happy to skip Sweden and relax.

"It's just not worth the risk of competing," he added. "I could easily damage my back some more and then end up missing competing in American and Canada.

"I would have loved to have competed in Sweden, but it's best I get some rest on my back. My physio is not too worried that I will get better before the US and Canadian Grand Prix, so long as I rest for a while."

Waterfield is hoping that, once his injury has gone, he will be able to team up with Taylor and make another giant splash in the 10m synchro event.

The pair have not competed together since Greece after Taylor injured a shoulder in a car crash, while Waterfield's current injury has halted the pair from training or competing with each other.

"It's going to be good to get back diving with Leon," said Waterfield. "It's been a long time since last summer, so we've both got something to prove.

"The preparations have all started for Beijing in 2008. Leon's out in America at the moment training and I fly out on April 16 to join him.

"We are both looking forward to diving with each other again. We've both got fond memories of Athens and want to build on that success."

Southampton's Gary Hunt will be competing in the 10m platform synchro competition alongside Plymouth's Gareth Jones.