Rio Olympics 2016: Gold For Great Britain's Jack Laugher And Chris Mears

First ever British Olympic gold in diving
Jack Laugher and Chris Mears in flight.
Jack Laugher and Chris Mears in flight.
Pilar Olivares / Reuters

Article originally published 10/08/2016: due to a technical issue this article may have resurfaced for some readers, and the original publish date may not have been visible.

Jack Laugher and Chris Mears have made history by bagging Britain’s first ever Olympic gold medal in diving.

The Team GB pair saw off the American and Chinese challenge in the 3m synchronised springboard dive - following on from Tom Daley and Dan Goodfellow’s bronze in the 10m synchro two days ago.

It's diving gold for Jack Laugher, Chris Mears & @TeamGB!

Absolutely stunning! 👏 https://t.co/ZxU6iMCRTa #Rio2016 pic.twitter.com/z8dU3RCQzA

— BBC Sport (@BBCSport) August 10, 2016
Jack Laugher and Chris Mears celebrate.
Jack Laugher and Chris Mears celebrate.
Wong Maye-E/AP

British TV viewers were loving the Yorkshire duo.

Pointless Man Thinks What Most Of Us Are Thinking

I look forward to people telling me I'm pronouncing Jack Laugher's name wrong in about 6 months time #Rio2016

— Richard Osman (@richardosman) August 10, 2016

A Labour MP acknowledges how Mears nearly died

His spleen ruptured, still he won gold. That's some British grit #Rio2016

— Jess Phillips MP (@jessphillips) August 10, 2016

Piers Morgan Claimed Credit, Oddly

BOOM! Team GB has now won 2 Golds since my column was posted. #motivational https://t.co/lxGAZ3bMZa

— Piers Morgan (@piersmorgan) August 10, 2016

Lineker says it all

Gold for Laugher and Mears. Absolutely bloody brilliant! Well played.

— Gary Lineker (@GaryLineker) August 10, 2016

And this wag reckons some newspapers will focus on one man in particular

Tomorrow's front pages for Laugher and Mears. pic.twitter.com/YKmLmI9m7e

— Philip Dorward (@PhilDorward) August 10, 2016

Speaking of Tom Daley

Absolutely incredible @JackLaugher and @ChrisMears93 :) #OLYMPICCHAMPIONS

— Tom Daley (@TomDaley1994) August 10, 2016

Mears, 23, had life-saving surgery to remove a spleen ruptured while diving in 2009. Mears was fifth alongside Nick Robinson-Baker at London 2012, while Laugher finished a lowly 27th in the individual event four years ago.

The British pair, who share a home in Leeds, led at the halfway point of the competition, which took place in typically British conditions. It was cold and raining.

And they enhanced their advantage by scoring 85.68 for their inward 3½ somersaults with tuck.

A score of 86.58 for their forward 2½ somersault 3 twists – the most difficult dive in their repertoire – saw the Britons take an advantage of 2.64 into the final round.

After a delay while Mexico were denied a re-dive, the American duo piled the pressure on Britain in a tense podium battle.

But Mears and Laugher kept their composure, with their forward 4½ somersault with tuck well executed and scoring 91.20 to take them to a total of 454.32.

China needed better than 93.84 to win, but faltered, scoring 83.22, which sparked jubilant celebrations among the British contingent.

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