European Championship Diving: Wakefield's Alicia Blagg has gold medal plucked from her fingertips

Women's 3m Springboard silver medal winner Alicia Blagg (Great Britain, left) and Grace Reid, (Great Britain) who snatched gold. PIC: Ian Rutherford/PA Wire

The 21-year-old was in charge for much of the women’s three-metre individual final at Edinburgh’s Royal Commonwealth Pool, as she tussled with Germany’s Tina Punzel for gold.

Punzel’s final dive was average and when Blagg beat it, she erupted into celebration – with gold surely heading her way.

But then team-mate Grace Reid, who was third, came from nowhere to land a perfect final dive, beating Blagg’s total score by just 1.70 points.

However, Blagg was far from dejected, with silver here marking her first-ever senior international medal in an individual discipline.

“There are no words,” said Blagg.

“I was crying happy tears because I was in absolute shock. I never thought I would ever get to this in my career. It’s amazing.

“I wanted to prove to people I am just good enough to be here and I think I have proved that.

“It was really close but I would not have wanted gold to go to anyone else – to come second to her is an honour. Seeing I was ahead of Tina after the final dive was just unbelievable.”

Reid added of her last-gasp triumph: ““It has been hard work this season with ups and downs. It is great to solidify the hard work.”

Success wasn’t to come Kat Torrance’s way however, as she and Reid could only watch 3m synchro gold slip through their fingers after a disastrous final dive.

The two sat first heading into the last effort but Leeds’ Torrance wasn’t able to match the rhythm of her partner, devastated to slip to fourth with a score of 270.90.

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