Katrina Rees
PHOTO CREDIT: TEAM GB
Jack Laugher and Chris Mears have won Great Britain’s first ever Olympic diving gold medal in the men’s synchronised 3m springboard.
After six dives and topping the leader board with a total score of 454.32, the duo took the gold medal ahead of the USA’s Sam Dorman and Mike Hixon (450.21) and China’s Qin Kai and Cao Yuan (443.70).
Laugher and Mears led the standings from the half way point, and continued to demonstrate their strength and determination during their final dives. Upon hearing the news, the pair broke down in tears as their Team GB supporters cheered in the crowd.
What a moment!
Jack Laugher & Chris Mears become Britain's 1st diving gold medallists!https://t.co/h0fd96v84J https://t.co/i54Lqzb24J
— BBC Sport (@BBCSport) August 10, 2016
Speaking after the event, Laugher said: “It’s fantastic to win Britain’s first Olympic gold in diving. We only found out that it was the first gold medal before the podium. It’s one of the first on springboard as well so we’re so overwhelmed with what we’ve done.”
The dream has happened and it’s paid off and we’re ecstatic with how we’ve done.
Prior to tonight, Team GB have only ever amassed eight Olympic diving medals, two silver and eight bronze. Not only have they made GB history, but they also ended China’s hopes of a clean sweep of diving golds in Rio.
Laugher and Mears live and train together in Leeds and have proven to be a successful partnership in the past. Their win will be particularly poignant for Mears, who was given a 5% chance of survival after his spleen ruptured whilst diving in 2009. He had life-saving surgery and was told he would most likely never dive again. Mears’ sheer determination and hard work proved everyone wrong – now he’s an Olympic gold medalist.
Team GB’s medal haul has grown significantly today. Joseph Clarke secured another gold medal in the Canoeing (Kayak K1), whilst Steven Scott, Chris Froome and Sally Conway grabbed a bronze medal each in the shooting, cycling (men’s time trial) and judo respectively. Max Whitlock also claimed a bronze medal in the men’s all-round gymnastics final, GB’s first medal in this event in 108 years. Team GB now has 12 medals – three gold, three silver and six bronze.
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