Historic Win for Team GB in Women’s Diving

Yasmin Harper and Scarlett Mew Jensen have made history for Great Britain by winning a bronze medal in the Women’s Synchronised 3m Springboard at Paris 2024. This marks the first Olympic medal for Team GB in women’s diving in 64 years, and it’s also the very first medal in women’s synchro diving in Olympic history.

The duo wowed the crowd in Saint-Denis, with many British fans cheering them on at the Olympic Aquatics Centre. They finished the event just 12.36 points behind the United States, while China took home the gold medal.

Harper and Mew Jensen secured their spot on the podium with an impressive final dive that left them jumping from fourth place to third. They started strong, holding second place after the first dive, but after a rocky third round, they found themselves in sixth place. However, a stunning fourth round brought them back into the game, and their final two dives scored over 70 points each, overshadowing a disappointing performance from the Australians.

China’s Chen and Chang led the competition all the way, finishing with 337.68 points, while the USA’s Sarah Bacon and Kassidy Cook claimed the silver medal. The Australians, Anabelle Smith and Maddison Keeney, were left in tears after a poorly executed final dive dashed their medal hopes.

The bronze medal for Harper and Mew Jensen comes shortly after their silver at the 2023 World Aquatics Championships, highlighting their growing success on the international diving scene. For Mew Jensen, this victory is particularly sweet as she faced a tough challenge just a month prior due to a back fracture.

“I’m very much lost for words. A month ago, I didn’t think I was going to be here,” she shared. Harper expressed their joy, saying, “We are so excited; we’re so pleased with ourselves. We came into this event knowing this is what we want.”

The strategic planning played a big role in their success. Harper explained how they made sure to communicate before every dive, taking their time to stay focused. “We decided to change our order so we put our hardest dive last just so we’d have a bit of extra advantage at the end,” she added.

Reflecting on their performance, Mew Jensen noted, “It’s also not over until it’s over, and we showed that today.” Harper is now looking forward to her next challenge, aiming for more medal glory in the Women’s 3m Springboard on August 7.