Team GB's Jack Laugher wins silver in men's 3m springboard final
By PA Sport
Last Updated: 17/08/16 12:25am
Jack Laugher claimed his second medal of the Rio Olympics with silver in the 3m springboard final.
The 21-year-old, who won a brilliant gold with Chris Mears in the 3m synchro last week, continued that form in the individual event.
Laugher's achievement was all the more impressive considering he almost missed the final altogether.
Three disappointing dives in Tuesday morning's semi-final left him sweating on his place but he scraped through in the 12th and final qualifying position.
That meant Laugher dived first in the final and it worked to his advantage as he piled the pressure on his competitors with a confident display.
With the pool restored from green to a sparkling blue, he was given three scores in the 90s, including a 96.90 for his penultimate dive, a forward four-and-a-half somersaults.
But there was revenge for China's Cao Yuan, beaten into third with partner Qin Kai behind Laugher and Mears in the synchro, as he claimed gold.
Laugher's final total of 523.85 compared to 547.60 for Cao, while Germany's Patrick Hausding finished with 498.90 to take bronze.
Oliver Dingley produced a strong series of dives to exceed expectations with an eighth-placed finish for Ireland.
