World Aquatics Championships: Great Britain secure bronze medals in mixed team events
- Published
GB's previous best medal tally at a World Championships is four
Great Britain secured diving bronze medals in both the mixed team event and the mixed 3m synchro at the World Aquatics Championships in Budapest.
James Heatly partnered Andrea Spendolini-Sirieix and scored 357.6 in the mixed 3m and 10m team event.
He then teamed up with Grace Reid in the 3m synchro, posting a score of 287.61 to clinch a medal in dramatic fashion with their final dive.
The medals take GB's tally in Budapest to five in four days.
The mixed 3m and 10m team event required Heatly and Spendolini-Sirieix to complete three dives each, with at least one each from the springboard and the platform.
The Chinese pair of Quan Hongchan and Bai Yuming finished first with 391.4 while French duo Jade Gillet and Alexis Jandard took the silver with 358.5, just 0.9 points ahead of the British team.
"It means a lot, I was really nervous to compete today but doing it with James has made it for me - I'm really happy," said Spendolini-Sirieix.
"The event is a little bit different and it was so fun, we were chatting throughout and just competing really well. I'm still learning, I've learnt a lot about my routine here and about how having fun is good in competition," she added.
Later in the mixed 3m synchro, Heatly and Reid had been 11th after two dives and seventh going into the final round before scoring 71.61 for their final dive - a forward 3.5 somersault pike.
Reid, who had already featured earlier in the 1m springboard final where she finished sixth, said it was a "big ask" to be reliant on their final dive to secure a podium spot.
"It was a case of going for broke. I knew my mistakes in the first couple of rounds had cost us, so we had to go for it and it paid off! It was hard to dig deep, but it's not over until right at the end, so I'm really pleased," she said.
Heatly said: "I wouldn't have believed you if you'd said that I would have two medals at the start of the day! It's been a really exciting day, I've really enjoyed both of my competitions and I can't ask for any more."
On Thursday, Robyn Birch and Emily Martin will go in the women's 10m platform synchro while Jordan Houlden and Jack Laugher, going for his third medal of the championships, will feature in the men's 1m springboard.