'We kept pushing' - Lois Toulson and Andrea Spendolini-Sirieix soar to Olympic diving bronze

The 24-year-old did it in a fashion which is becoming a theme for many in Team GB colours out here in Paris, coming from behind.

Alongside Andrea Spendolini-Sirieix in the 10m synchro on Wednesday morning, the British duo were fifth after three rounds, with just two more dives to go.

But if rival nations have learned anything about British athletes in Paris these first few days of the Games, it is never write them off.

For Toulson and Spendolini-Sirieix staged a brilliant comeback in the final two rounds to claw their way onto the medal podium.

The pair scored 77.76 on their final dive and following a nervous wait, their spot on the rostrum was all but confirmed after nearest rivals Canada could only score 68.16 on their last dive.

It meant Great Britain clinched bronze by 5.16 points and Toulson - born in Huddersfield and attending her third Games - insisted it was because the pair refused to give up going into the final stages.

“We knew our last two dives were our hardest degree of difficulty, so if we got those down we’d be back up at the top,” said Toulson, whose boyfriend and City of Leeds team-mate Laugher looks to add to his three Olympic medals from the last two Games in the 3m springboard and 3m synchro in the coming days.

“We never gave up or thought it was over, we kept pushing.”

Spendolini-Sirieix admitted the duo did not know how tight the competition was during the final round.

“First off, we didn’t look at the scoreboard, so we didn’t actually know how close it was,” she said.

“But our back twist, as Lois has said a lot of times, is our strongest dive and we just wanted to be strong on our last dive, finish strong.

“Whatever happened I was proud to represent Great Britain alongside Lois.”

Chinese pair Chen Yuxi and Quan Hongchan successfully defended their Olympic gold, while the North Korea partnership of Jo Jin Mi and Kim Mirae earned silver.

The British pair were watched on by family and friends in the stands, including Laugher and Spendolini-Sirieix’s father, First Dates maitre d’ Fred Sirieix.

They have carried on a successful spell so far in the pool for Team GB, who now have two bronze and one silver medal from three events and Toulson - a Whitcliffe Mount School pupil in Cleckheaton who started diving aged seven - hailed the strength of the diving squad.

“With Scarlett (Mew Jensen) and (City of Sheffield’s) Yasmin (Harper), then Tom (Daley) and Noah (Williams), I think it shows how strong British diving is at the moment,” said Toulson, who has only been partnered with Spendolini-Sirieix for 18 months but is already now an Olympic medallist plus a two-time world championship medallist.

“We’ve still got Jack and Anthony (Harding) to go, all the individuals, but as a team we’re all so close. That helps the morale and helps get the medals.”