Golden boy Jack at top of his game
EIGHT years ago in Delhi, Jack Laugher’s hands were shaking on the springboard as he experienced global competition for the first time.
The nerves of a 15-year-old at those Games have since been replaced by a rock-steady Olympic champion, as he proved last night in a one-way Commonwealth defence of his 1metre title.
Laugher was never behind from the first of his six dives, finishing with a near-personal best 438 points, and 25.55 points ahead of Australia’s James Connor.
Then it was back to the Games Village to enjoy some PlayStation, his item of choice here on the Gold Coast.
However, as befits an Olympic champion, the 23-year-old did offer some reservations over his performance ahead of the second act of his three-pronged bid for gold.
“It was a really good score, but I didn’t quite hit anything,” he said. “Everything was really good, my tops were fantastic, but my entries were a bit shaky. I am putting that down to a few nerves going for the titles.”
Having waited a week before taking to the board, Laugher has taken to listening to his favourite artist Drake and playing video games to pass the time in between training.
“I am a pretty hardcore gamer at home and I don’t think mum is very proud of that one,” he said. “I play everything – Rainbow 6, Overwatch. I enjoy it all.”
If there is also a game called Over-rotate, he would no doubt save it for his rivals. While Laugher went through the motions, his rivals jostled for medals behind him. Emerging from the pack came Scotland’s James Heatly, who was sixth midway through before securing a fine bronze.
As Laugher climbed from the pool to claim gold, he did a little victory jig before hugging Heatly, who had just made history by winning Scotland’s first diving medal since his late grandfather in 1958.
With Tom Daley’s Games hampered by concussion, the board is clear for Laugher to become England’s leading diver, with 3m individual and synchro to come.
“I don’t feel like I should be responsible for winning every time,” he added. “I should be responsible for going out there and trying to make my nation proud by putting in 100 per cent attitude and trying to get medals.”
Earlier, England’s tally began in style with Alicia Blagg and Katherine Torrance’s silver in the 3m synchronised springboard. The duo only had two weeks of training as a new partnership before the Games and said they were “just winging it” after a surprise podium place. ROSIE ECCLES of Wales will contest gold with England’s Sandy Ryan in boxing’s 69kg category after both came through their last-four bouts. But English duo Chris Gregory and Jake Sheaf lost out to top seeds Australia in the beach volleyball semi-finals. Ahead of today’s bronze-medal match, Gregory says the sport should be part of the Birmingham Games in 2022. He said: “It is an incredible sport. Everything they do with the atmosphere and crowd will make it an asset back home.”