Jack Laugher aiming for second diving gold after historic Olympic success alongside Chris Mears

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Rod Gilmour11 August 2016

Jack Laugher admitted that winning two gold medals at Rio 2016 would be the “most unbelievable thing in the entire world”, after he and Chris Mears had recorded Britain’s first Olympic diving title.

The duo’s error-free set of six 3m springboard dives in the synchronised final propelled them to their first success outside Britain, following Commonwealth and European titles on British soil.

By claiming the gold, Laugher and Mears, aged 21 and 23 respectively, also ended China’s stranglehold in this event, the powerhouse nation having won every 3m Olympic title stretching back to the 2004 Athens Olympics.

“To come away with one is something I knew I could do but it doesn’t seem real,” said Laugher, who competes in the individual 3m springboard on Tuesday.

“I need to have a good look at the medal and understand it a bit more. I have my individual event so I have to try to focus on that now. Two golds would be ridiculous, to be honest. It would be the most unbelievable thing in the entire world.”

Victory had extra resonance for Mears after almost losing his life in 2009.

Having ruptured his spleen during competition in Australia, further complications saw Mears lose five pints of blood and suffer a seven-hour seizure before falling into a coma for three days. He was given a five per cent chance of survival.

“It’s not something I think about too much now,” said Mears.

“I still can’t believe it has happened and it’s something I will think about in the future. When I went into London 2012 and competed well I was so emotional. I matured after that and, yes, I have come from death’s door so I’m immensely proud.”

The chance to beat the Chinese hinged on the British pair successfully unleashing their dive with the highest difficulty tariff - a forward two-and-half somersaults with three twists.

Following their European title win, Laugher admitted that the judges had never seen such a dive performed and “didn’t know how to handle it”. In yesterday’s final, their pivotal moment came in the penultimate round.

The twists were world class and the judges awarded 86.58 points. The pair have yet to name the dive, though Mears’s suggestion of the “washing machine” was apt enough.

Theirs was certainly a clean entry. The dive has been carried out before by China’s He Jong when he won 3m individual gold in 2008 but Laugher and Mears, who beat the USA and China into silver and bronze, are first to use it in synchro.

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The Britons’ nerveless showing here handed more optimism to the Team GB camp after a stellar day in Brazil. “The feelings are very positive and there are loads of good vibes,” said Laugher.

Moreover, Mears hopes that this unprecedented victory will heighten the sport’s popularity back in the UK.

"We have a lot of young talent in GB. This can inspire kids in Great Britain to learn diving and start doing it,” said Mears.

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