British Divers Make History with Olympic Bronze Medal

What an incredible moment for British diving! Yasmin Harper and Scarlett Mew Jensen have just made history as the first British women to win an Olympic diving medal in 64 years. Not only that, but they are also the very first to snag a medal in the synchro competition.

On the opening day of the Olympic events in Paris, this dynamic duo clinched a historic bronze in the Women’s 3m Synchro event. Just last summer, they secured Great Britain’s Olympic spot in this event by earning a silver medal at the World Championships in Fukuoka. With Harper and Mew Jensen diving together for the first time at the Games—Mew Jensen had previously competed individually in Tokyo—there was a lot at stake.

They kicked off the competition at the specially built Olympic Aquatics Centre, diving in third place in the order. The pair started strong with a solid Back Dive Pike that earned them 50.40 points, keeping them in the run alongside the top competitors.

Though they faced a hiccup with an over-rotation on a dive that set them back, they bounced back brilliantly. Their next dive was the best of the day, scoring 71.10 points for their Inward 2½ Somersaults Pike. They concluded the contest with another impressive score, totalling 302.28 points, placing them in bronze medal position.

It was a nerve-wracking wait as they needed to see how other nations performed. Thankfully, a slip-up from the Australian divers, who were expected to jump ahead, secured Harper and Mew Jensen their medal moment.

“We’re so excited and so pleased with ourselves,” Yasmin expressed. She noted how they wanted to come in and deliver their best performance. Scarlett added her disbelief, sharing how she almost gave up after suffering a partial back fracture just a month ago, which threatened her ability to compete.

Despite their rocky journey, they pushed through. “You have to stay focused; it’s never over until it’s over,” Scarlett remarked, reflecting on their determination.

Both acknowledged how it had been years since British women had won in diving. They expressed gratitude to their families for their unwavering support and to the National Lottery for their backing.

Coaches Tom Owens and Jane Figueiredo received heartfelt thanks as well, with Scarlett especially remembering Dave Jenkins, their coach, who would have been proud of their achievement. In a bit of fun, they mentioned their matching nail designs, hinting at the possibility of getting new ones to celebrate their success.

Yasmin is set to compete again in the Women’s 3m Springboard on August 7th, while fans can catch all the aquatics action from Paris 2024 on various broadcasting platforms.