Team GB wins its first medal at the Paris Olympics, securing bronze in a dramatic diving finale
Team GB were represented by Scarlett Mew Jensen and Yasmin Harper in the women’s synchronised 3m springboard, with the pair out to kick off the medal push on the first Saturday of competition
Scarlett Mew Jensen and Yasmin Harper became Team GB’s first medalists at the Paris Olympic Games, taking bronze in the women’s synchronised 3m springboard diving after a dramatic finale.
The British pair had 12 points to make up on Australia in the final round. However, after they did their job, the Aussie team slipped down to fifth following a horror final dive.
There were no heats during the event in Paris, with a selection of teams going straight into the final. Mew Jensen and Harper were in silver medal position after round one, with China in the lead, but dropped below the United States team after their second dive to sit level with Germany in the bronze medal spot.
After the third round of dives,Team GB dropped down to sixth to leave themselves with work to do. However, a strong fourth round - scoring 71.10 - brought them back into contention for bronze, and they claimed third after Australia failed to score enough a the last.
China claimed gold, having stood at the top of the leaderboard throughout the event. The United States’ team of Sarah Bacon and Kassidy Cook ended with the silver medal, ahead of the British team in third.
"Every dive counts and Australia could have got a medal," Olympic diver Tonia Couch said on the BBC. "They needed 50 odd points, that’s nothing and they fell off the board. Anabelle [Smith] doesn’t normally do that. Sometimes it happens, sometimes it doesn’t but it would be usually in training. I did not expect that.
"They probably thought they didn’t need to do much to get a medal. So much could have been going through their minds and unfortunately for them they messed up. Our girls did amazing, they got over 300 points and they should be really proud."
After the final, 2004 Olympic medalist Leon Taylor sympathised with the Australian team. "I cannot begin to describe what Anabelle Smith must be feeling," he said.
"She is right at the end of her career, 31 years old. This could be her last Olympic games, probably is. It’s just tough but that’s diving. What a dramatic opening event."
The bronze medal got Saturday’s action off to a fantastic start for Team GB, who will be represented in a number of other events. Medal hopeful Adam Peaty, who won Team GB’s first gold at the Tokyo games, is among those getting his campaign underway in the swimming heats.
He won his first heat in the 100m breaststroke in a time of 59.18 seconds. Compatriot James Wilby was in the same heat, finishing fourth.
"I am older, I am going to hurt more," Peaty told BBC Radio 5 Live before his first swim. "My recovery will take longer. I’m in a good place, I feel strong and at peace. I’ve nothing to prove anymore, I’ve done everything I want to do in my life."
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