Tokyo Olympics: Jack Laugher says 3m diving bronze worth '100 times more' than Rio gold
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Tokyo Olympics: GB diver Jack Laugher wins bronze in men’s 3m springboard
Tokyo Olympic Games on the BBC |
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Dates: 23 July-8 August Time in Tokyo: BST +8 |
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Great Britain's Jack Laugher said mental health issues nearly forced him to quit diving as he reflected on an Olympic bronze that "meant more".
Laugher finished third in the men's 3m springboard at Tokyo 2020 with 518.00 points after six dives in the final.
China's Xie Siyi (558.75) and Wang Zongyuan (534.90) took gold and silver.
"This means so much. I'm not going to lie, I wanted to quit earlier this year and I'd been been crying myself to sleep," Laugher told BBC Sport.
"After the 2019 World Championships going so poorly, it really affected my mental health and wellbeing.
"I had very little confidence in myself, a lot of anxiety around training and I kept making the same mistake over and over again and had no idea why.
"It was such a difficult period for me to go through, something I've been so confident in, all my life, to go so poorly so quickly, has really taken its toll.
"I thought about quitting several times because there are only so many times you can fail and get yourself back up again."
Xie, who also won men's synchronised 3m springboard gold at Tokyo, was the standout diver in the 12-man final.
Laugher kept pace with the two-time world champion in the first two dives but his inward 3½ somersaults and back 3½ somersaults dives were slightly below par.
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His fifth and strongest dive, a forward 4½ somersaults worth 96.90 points, gave Laugher hope of a silver medal but Wang held his nerve.
Laugher won silver in the event at Rio 2016 and gold in the synchronised men's 3m springboard at the same Games, but given recent struggles acknowledged this bronze had a special place in his heart.
"My friends and my family, my psychologist, my coach have all kept me in one piece," added the 26-year-old.
"I think this medal really feels like it's for them as much as it is for me, proof that I can get through this and I can be as good as everybody on my day.
"I feel like I'm back; I feel like I'm competing the way I want to compete. There are still some things I want to improve on, but I feel like I've got the confidence and the momentum now.
"I know it's not a gold medal - it's not as good as it was in Rio. But for me, this bronze medal means 100 times more than any medal I've ever got."
Laugher's fellow Briton James Heatly, taking part in his first Olympics, finished ninth with a score of 411.00.
Jack Laugher won a gold and silver medal at Rio 2016
'Laugher should feel proud' - analysis
Steve Parry, Olympic bronze medal swimmer
Until Jack Laugher and Chris Mears came along five years ago, British diving had never got a gold medal at the Olympic Games.
He delivered that in the synchronised men's 3m springboard at Rio 2016, also got silver at that Games as well, and now has the full set with a bronze medal here.
This was never a sure thing for Jack. He has had to battle all of the way.
He has turned up here and done a great job. He should be very proud of that bronze medal.
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