Reid rewarded for work ethic with splash of silver at World Championship

● Edinburgh student becomes first Scot to win diving medal on the biggest stage

Grace Reid has been hailed for her work ethic and determination after she dived her way into the history books at the weekend.

Reid, from the Edinburgh Diving Club, became Scotland’s first ever World Championships medallist when she claimed a silver with Tom Daley in the 3m mixed synchro event in Budapest.

The duo were joint first after three rounds and put in a good fourth dive of 66.60 points to put them second behind China with one dive to go. They also had Canada and Germany breathing down their necks.

The last round was edgy, but they showed composure with 72.54 points to finish on 308.04, China winning and Canada third.

Credit must go to Reid’s coaches Jen Leeming and Nick Robinson-baker, who have helped guide the 21-year-old through the highs and lows that she has experienced over the last couple of years.

Leemingsaid: “Afterthe2016 Olympics Grace was on a real high and she was determined to go into 2017 and attack it with a bang and keep improving.

“She has had a superb World Championships and that is down to a full season of hard work and focus.

“Grace has been balancing training and university work and she has given everything to both. Surrounded by a great support team she has managed to progress from where she was at the Olympics, to finish fifth, fourth and second in her events at the worlds is phenomenal.

“It is so hard to find physically and mentally talented girls that can handle the pressure at the top end of the sport, but she can. I cannot wait to see what she can do in 2018.”

Meanwhile, Reid has revealed she only had a few hours sleep the night before she went out and secured the silver medal.

She was on duty on Friday night in Hungary, diving very well to finish fourth in the 3m individual event.

And because she was buzzing from that showing she struggled to get a good night’s sleep afterwards.

It meant that she woke up ahead of the 3m mixed synchro

0 Edinburgh Diving Club’s Grace Reid and Tom Daley collect their 3m mixed synchro silver medals. final on Saturday not feeling her best, but as soon as she and Daley got on the practice boards things just began to click.

They seem to have a great connection, keeping each other relaxed and from the very first round they were in the mix for a medal.

Reid said: “I only had a few hours sleep as I was still on a high from Friday night. Tom and I haven’t been able to train together at all this week – we were just winging it out there.

“It’s hard to say why the partnership works so well, but I think we have similar kind of technique across certain dives and mentally we attack training. We give it everything and I am just delighted.

“It’s been a very surreal weekend. I don’t really know which way is up at the minute, but what a fantastic way to end my first World Championships. I feel I can kick on from here.”

Scottish Swimming’s performance director Ally Whike was in Budapest watching and he said: “We are absolutely delighted for Grace. The self belief she has gained since her great performance at last year’s Olympics in Rio is allowing her to approach major competitions with more confidence knowing she has earned the right to be there and is now a real medal contender.

“The investment from Scottish Swimming and Edinburgh Leisure and the support from sportscotland in full-time coaching, has provided the foundation for great progress with her coaches Jen Leeming and Nick Robinsonbaker.” Kirsty Gilmour’s bid for a second final appearance in a week ended in disappointment when she lost a three-game marathon against old rival Michelle Li at the Yonex US Open in Anaheim.

The unseeded Scotland star went down 16-21, 21-16, 21-15 in 70 minutes against the Canadian sixth seed, who has now won all four of their meetings, including the 2014 Commonwealth Games gold medal match. Gilmour had not dropped a game on the way to the last four.

Gilmour had an early lead against Li and then pulled away from 13-13 to take the opener on her first game point.

But Li responded in the second game, striking at 14-14 with a four-point surge and went on to level the match on her second game point.

In the decider Gilmour recovered from 9-6 down to lead 10-9 before Li won five points in a row on her way to victory.

In the other semi-final, Japan’s third seed Aya Ohori won the longest match of the women’s singles and the second longest of the tournament when she saved four match points before beating Korean fifth seed Jang Mi Lee 14-21, 28-26, 21-19 in 87 minutes.

Despite her disappointment, Gilmour can be heartened by a good run of form which has seen her climb back into the world’s top 40 following her lay-off in the autumn after knee surgery.

She will now build on this as she prepares for her big target of the summer – the World Championships in Glasgow from 21-27 August when she will hope that the massive home support can inspire her to more toplevel performances in an Emirates Arena where she thrives on the atmosphere.