Rio Olympics 2016: Jason Statham's Olympic regret

Jason Statham at the premiere of Mechanic: Resurrection. Photo / AP

Action movie star Jason Statham has revealed his failure to compete at the Olympic Games remains a "sore point".

The British actor represented England in diving at the 1990 Commonwealth Games in New Zealand, but finished outside the medal positions in three competitions.

Statham, 49, praised the increase in funding for diving after Team GB's success at Rio 2016, but he believed he may have chosen the wrong sport to compete in.

Speaking at the Los Angeles premiere of his new film Mechanic: Resurrection, he said: "It's a bit of a sore point I never got to the Olympics.

"I just heard they got seven million or something for the diving per year. They deserve it. The divers we've got now are just terrific.

"I started too late. It probably wasn't my thing. I should have done a different sport."

Statham, who was joined on the red carpet by his supermodel fiancee Rosie Huntington-Whitely, said he got "fulfilment" from his leading roles in action films.

Starring opposite actress Jessica Alba, he plays assassin Arthur Bishop in Mechanic; Resurrection - a sequel to the 2011 remake of the Michael Winner film The Mechanic.

Statham said: "I think I'm more suited to action movies than courtroom dramas so I tend to stick to those.

"It's something I get a lot of fulfilment out of. I feel I'm better at those than I am at other stuff. I play to my strength I suppose."

Mechanic: Resurrection director Dennis Gansel said he believed Statham was "the best" action movie star working in Hollywood.

"I've been a fan of him since day one in Guy Ritchie movies," he said.

"He turned himself into this action star. I think he's the most diverse and interesting guy working in the industry today.

"If he wouldn't be an A-list star, he would be one of the best stuntman working out there."