Olympic Diving 2016: Medal Winners and Scores After Wednesday's Results
Jack Laugher and Chris Mears won Great Britain's first Olympic diving gold medal in a thrilling, three-metre synchronised final on Wednesday in Rio de Janeiro.
The pairing were magnificent throughout in a final of the highest standard, finishing with gold and a score of 454.32. It was a haul that put them ahead of the United States' Sam Dorman and Michael Hixon (450.21), while China's Yuan Cao and Kai Qin (443.70) grabbed third.
Here's a look at the result from an absorbing event in the diving competition and how the current medal table stands at the Rio Games.
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| Jack Laugher and Chris Mears (GBR) | Sam Dorman and Michael Hixon (USA) | Yuan Cao and Kai Qin (CHN) |
Team GB Clinch Gold in Thrilling Final
Early on, Cao and Qin were exceptional as expected, setting the tempo through the first couple of rounds with some smart efforts.
While there were plenty of eyes on the battle for the medals at this point, some of the divers were finding the pressure difficult to cope with, as we can see here courtesy of BBC Sport:
Indeed, even Cao and Qin were feeling the heat at the halfway stage, with the British and American pairings putting them under pressure.
And after the divers had completed their third series, it was actually the British men who were leading the way, as they nailed a forward two-and-a-half somersault with two twists. For the first time in any of the diving events so far, a thrilling battle for gold looked to be on the cards.
That line of thought was given credence as Laugher and Mears nailed a very technical and very testing fourth dive. Julian Druker of ITN was already predicting big things for the British duo:
Their opponents were not going anywhere, though. Hixon and Dorman moved into second place with a brilliant dive of their own. Cao and Qin were struggling to find their best form following a strong start, although they were still right in the mix with two rounds to go.
Next up for the Britons was a forward two-and-a-half somersault with three twists in the piked position. And a classy dive from Laugher and Mears saw them accrue another quality score, moving further ahead of the United States, who were a little sloppier with their fifth series.
China’s penultimate effort was a reverse three-and-a-half somersault. Cao and Qin earned a big score, chopping down the deficit heading into the final stage. As noted by Matt McGeehan of the Press Association:
At the start of the final round there was some controversy, as the Mexican pairing of Rommel Pacheco and Jahir Ocampo asked for a re-dive, with the floodlights coming on during their routine. After some confusion, they were not given a chance to go again.
It prolonged the final battle, in which the American pairing went first. They executed their four-and-a-half somersault dive magnificently, putting huge pressure on the British and Chinese pairings. Following that, Laugher and Mears bagged themselves a silver with their final routine.
Cao and Qin needed something very special on their last dive, although they were unable to produce the magic required, eventually only doing enough for bronze. It sparked wild celebrations from Laugher and Mears, who celebrated Britain's first Olympic gold in diving.
Former England international footballer Gary Lineker was delighted:
It was a remarkable performance from Laugher and Mears, who kept their composure brilliantly after going ahead at the halfway point. It's Britain's second medal in the diving competition at the Games, although this one from this duo has major historical connotations.
The conditions were tough, something that may have hindered the Chinese favourites on the night. But that won't detract from an evening to remember for the British pair, who have etched their names into Olympic history.
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