Jack Laugher and Anthony Harding win Olympic bronze to set new GB diving record
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Jack Laugher and Anthony Harding are doing really well in the diving competition at the Olympics. They have entered four events and won four medals so far. They haven't won a gold yet, but they did win a bronze in the 3m synchro final. Team GB now has a record number of medals, thanks to Laugher and Harding's impressive performance with consistently high-quality dives. Their sixth dive was especially amazing and secured them a spot in the top three.
This was Harding's initial experience of winning at the Olympics, and the 24-year-old handled the stress well with the help of his more seasoned partner. Laugher, on the other hand, earned his fourth Olympic medal in just three Games, coming close to Tom Daley's total of five medals from diving on the 10m board. At 29 years old, Laugher still has time to surpass his teammate and become Britain's most successful Olympic diver.
"Getting four medals out of four is unbelievable," Laugher exclaimed. "The team's accomplishment is amazing. We felt a lot of pressure after winning three out of three, but we believed we could make it four out of four. It's a fantastic day and a moment to hold onto forever."
Once you understand that China consistently dominates in diving finals, the competition becomes straightforward: seven teams vying for the two remaining medals. Ultimately, the Chinese duo Wang Zongyuan and Long Daoyi, who previously claimed gold in Tokyo with different partners, faced tough competition from Britain and silver medalists Mexico.
After a close match in the first two rounds, the competition heated up in the third round. The American duo had a rough dive when Greg Duncan didn't jump off the board properly, causing them to go in different directions once in the water. They received a low score of 37.74.
In comparison, Laugher and Harding performed a flawless forward two-and-a-half somersault with two twists, entering the water smoothly without causing much disturbance. They received a score of 82.62, one of the top scores of the day, and were in first place at the halfway mark.
Harding didn't quite nail his dive on the fourth attempt, but the British pair bounced back in the fifth round with a flawless forward two-and-a-half somersaults with three twists. Harding made a big splash as Laugher congratulated him with a pat on the back. Their impressive score of 85.41 put them in the running for the gold medal with one dive remaining.
At the start of the last round, Laugher walked back and forth behind the judges while Harding moved his legs and swung his arms to stay loose. They observed as China's Long Daoyi and Wang Zongyuan scored 95.76, securing the gold medal.
The British duo performed exceptionally well on their last dive, scoring 94.62 points for a flawless forward four-and-a-half somersaults. They embraced each other, proud of giving it their all. The competition came down to Mexico's last dive, and Laugher and Harding anxiously watched as Juan Manuel Celaya Hernandez and Osmar Olvera Ibarra kept their composure, earning 94.77 points to claim the silver medal just ahead of the British team.
Up next are the individual competitions for Team GB. China is expected to perform well in those events as well, but judging by Laugher's performance, Team GB is not backing down without a fight. This Olympics is already making history, and the British team is determined to keep pushing forward.
