Harrogate's Jack Laugher will 'cherish' fourth Olympic medal 'forever' following Paris 2024 success

The former Ripon Grammar School pupil took bronze for Team Great Britain alongside Anthony Harding Harding in Friday morning’s synchronised 3m springboard final.

The pair looked as if they had done enough to secure silver having racked up an excellent score of 438.15, only for Mexican duo Juan Celaya and Osma Olvera (444.03) to leapfrog them with the very last dive of the event.

Defending champions and hot favourites China – whose team comprised Wang Zongyuan and Long Daoyi – moved into pole position after their first dive, and although they were not at their best, managed to retain their title with a score of 446.10.

But bronze for the Brits meant that they have medalled in each of Paris’ four diving events thus far, the first time their divers have ever achieved as many podium finishes in a single Olympics.

"I'm just so proud of what me and Anthony have done,” Laugher said. “We've worked really hard and had some real ups this year but some major downs.

“We worked really hard and we’ve got here but my word, there was pressure on us today.

“There was so much pressure on us coming in with three from three and we knew we could make it four from four.

“Four medals from four is unreal. What we’ve achieved as a team is wonderful.

"It’s a wonderful day and one to cherish forever.”

Laugher, who won gold and silver at Rio and a bronze in Tokyo three years ago, and Olympic debutant Harding scored 49.80 first up, leaving them tied for third place with USA and Mexico and behind Italy and the Chinese.

Round two saw them achieve a score of 49.20 and climb up into second spot, with their next attempt leaving them well clear of the Italians in third.

The Brits’ worst dive came in round four, and with Mexico roaring into contention, what looked like a four-horse race for the medals began to unfold.

Laugher and Harding’s incredibly challenging penultimate dive (rated a 3.9 difficulty) left the pair high-fiving one another on their way out of the pool and in a great position in their pursuit of a podium finish, just 6.5 points behind leaders China, and just shy of Mexico in second spot.

Their sixth and final effort (3.8 difficulty) was similarly spectacular, earning them a score of 94.62 to elevate them back into the silver medal position.

But, the Mexicans did the business with their last dive, edging back in front of Team GB to finish up just behind the Chinese.

Earlier this week, Laugher’s girlfriend and City of Leeds Diving Club team-mate, Lois Toulson, also won bronze, in the women’s 10m synchro.

“I’d have never heard the end of it if I didn’t get one and she did,” the 29-year-old joked.

“Lois, myself and Anthony, we’re a small little training group in Leeds with our coach Adam Smallwood.

“We’ve got a wonderful, fantastic group. As a group, Tony’s got a medal, I’ve got a medal and Lois has got one as well.

“But on a personal note for me and Lois, it’s a wonderful achievement. I know how much it meant to her and two medals between us is wonderful with more events to go, so who knows.”