Jack Laugher fails to defend Olympic diving title at Tokyo 2020

Jack Laugher, left, and Daniel Godfellow. Picture: Getty Images

There was to be no repeat of his Rio 2016 heroics as Jack Laugher endured a day to forget at the Tokyo Olympics.

The Harrogate-born, former Ripon Grammar School pupil was a long way off his best, failing to defend his synchronised 3m springboard title alongside Daniel Goodfellow.

The Team GB pair finished seventh in the final with just 382.80 points as China took the gold ahead of the USA and Germany.

Laugher made history when won in Rio five years ago with Chris Mears, but the reigning champion and his new partner were uncharacteristically never in contention this time around.

The pair were last after the opening round of dives with 47.40 points and never recovered.

An inward three-and-a-half somersault tuck in the third round scored them just 63.24 after Goodfellow, who won synchronised 10m platform bronze with Tom Daley five years ago, over-rotated on entry

Another poor fourth-round dive kept the pair last and a forward four-and-a-half somersaults effort in the fifth earned just 62.70 points.

Their final dive, a forward two-and-a-half somersaults three twists pike, was comfortably their best and at least lifted them off the bottom of the standings.

Laugher and Goodfellow avoided finishing last after the Russian Olympic Committee team’s final effort was ruled as a no dive.