Road to Rio: Maturing Jack Laugher seeking to '˜wow' the world

Four years later, the World Series champion is one of Yorkshire’s, if not Team GB’s, brightest medal hopes.

A new weight of expectancy has been created for the diver’s second Olympics, but that is fine with Laugher who says the four years since London have seen him transformed from a boy into a man.

Laugher, 21, will compete in both the 3m springboard and 3m synchro events as one of at least five athletes from the thriving City Of Leeds Diving Club to head to Rio.

Alongside Laugher’s synchro partner Chris Mears, women’s synchro pair Becky Gallantree and Alicia Blagg are also heading to the summer spectacular along with Yona Knight-Wisdom, who will become Jamaica’s first Olympic male diver.

While Tom Daley remains recognised as the leading light and golden boy of British diving, Laugher knows that his second Olympics presents him the perfect opportunity to shine.

Buoyed by golds in both the 1m springboard and 3m springboard synchro events at the Glasgow Commonwealth Games, the Harrogate-born diver took gold in three of last year’s FINA Diving World Series events.

Those victories – in Canada, Dubai and Kazan – also elevated him to overall 3m World Series springboard champion and, at the time, world no 1.

The Yorkshireman also took bronze in both the 3m springboard and synchro events at last year’s World Championships, becoming only the second British diver to win an individual world diving medal after Daley claimed gold at the age of 15 at Rome 2009.

Things are rather different to the build up to London 2012 but a grown up Laugher is relishing the challenge.

“Back in 2012, I was just a young 17-year-old lad,” Laugher told The Yorkshire Post.

“I had hardly done any international competitions and to be honest when I qualified for the Olympics it was a massive shock to me and my family. The difference to now is absolutely incomparable, really. This year I have earned it, I have medalled many, many times in World Series and World Championships and World Cups and stuff and especially in the Commonwealth Games.

“I have really shown that I am a great diver. I’ve earned my spot this time. I’m a professional athlete now, I live in Leeds, I can train full sessions and do everything that I can and give it everything that I have got this time. I’m not a kid any more. I’m a man now.”

Nevertheless, Laugher does not turn 22 until January next year and the diver ought to be destined for big things at both Tokyo 2020 and even the 2024 Olympics, if he so desires.

There is, though, no denying that a golden opportunity lies in the here and now, for all that even a solitary bronze would fulfil a childhood dream.

“If I come home with any medal, that’s my dream come true,” confessed Laugher.

“That’s what I have dreamed of since I was a kid. I don’t really care what the colour is, if I got one, that’s amazing.

“On the day, some people dive amazingly and if I get beaten having put on a good performance out there, then fair play. If I don’t put out a good performance then I’m going to have to sit back and I’m going to have to re-evaluate things. It’s about learning through this year and trying to put myself in the best position to give myself the best possible shot at trying to succeed.”

Qualification alongside Mears in the 3m synchro event gives Laugher two chances, and the world no 5 is keen to stress that his prospects in both are comparable. “Both of them are very equal to each other,” said Laugher.

“I have got a massive opportunity this time and I’m not going to sit back just because of what I have succeeded with so far. I am still going to be working my backside off every single day in training, I am going to be trying new things and trying to get the best out of myself to prepare for that big day.

“Me and Chris have also got massive prospects and in the Rio World Cup we were number one until the final dive. We are definitely a force to be reckoned with, especially with the addition of this new dive. It’s the hardest dive in the world, no-one else is doing it and the judges see it and they think ‘wow, that’s impressive.’ If we hit it, it’s going to be really special.”