Jack Laugher and Anthony Harding claimed a fine bronze for Great Britain in the men’s synchronised 3m springboard diving at the Olympic Games in Paris.
The pair only began working together in late 2021 but have won European, Commonwealth and world medals in their time together.
They can now add an Olympic medal to that tally, having saved their most difficult two dives until the final two rounds to keep themselves into contention.
The pair leapt into each other’s arms after their final dive guaranteed a medal, with team-mates celebrating wildly in the crowd as the results were confirmed.
It is a fourth Olympic medal for Laugher, who won gold and silver at Rio 2016 and a bronze in Tokyo in 2021, and a first for Harding.
It also gives Britain a fourth diving medal of the Paris Games.
China’s Wang Zongyuan – who won this event in Tokyo three years ago with a different partner – and Long Daoyi recovered from a wobbly start to secure gold with 446.10 points.
Mexico’s Juan Celaya and Osmar Olvera took silver with 444.03, much to the delight of the fans inside the Paris Aquatics Centre, with Laugher and Harding’s 438.15 ensuring them bronze.
Laugher has spoken openly about the impact the 2019 World Championships – where he went from first to third after a poor final dive – had on his mental health.
He even considered quitting the sport before the delayed Tokyo Games in 2021.
A medal there reignited his love for diving and his new partnership with Harding, who is competing at an Olympics for the first time, has brought instant rewards.
The Britons had maybe looked a touch nervous in the warm-ups, but the practice session seemed to allow them to shake off any extra tension.
They kept themselves in medal contention throughout and were second at the halfway stage, jostling with China and Mexico in the top three.
The duo performed their most difficult dive, rated 3.9, in the penultimate round, which ensured they kept pressure on their rivals.
After a strong, solid showing with their final dive – a 3.8 difficulty – the pair just had to wait to see which colour the medal would be.
It is a best start to a diving competition at a Games for Britain, who have won a medal in all four events so far.
Tom Daley and Noah Williams took silver in the men’s synchro 10m platform, with bronzes for Yasmin Harper and Scarlett Mew Jensen in the women’s synchro 3m springboard and Lois Toulson and Andrea Spendolini-Sirieix in the women’s synchro 10m platform.
Laugher will compete in the individual 3m springboard later in the week, with heats held from 6 August.
Source: BBC
