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Jack Laugher crowned Britain's first world junior diving champion for decade

Great Britain can now boast two teenage world champions after Jack Laugher claimed 1m springboard gold at the World Junior Championships in Tucson, Arizona.

Britain's Jack Laugher and Rosie Medlock take European Junior Diving gold
On song: Harrogate District's Jack Laugher in action during the Men's 1m final during the British Diving Championships Credit: Photo: PA

Laugher, 15, who qualified first into the final, won with 440 points and a winning margin of over 23 points, ahead of Bruce Kline, of the USA. He became Britain's first gold medallist at the event since 1999.

The Harrogate diver's win comes on the back of his success at the European Junior Championships in Helsinki two months ago.

Following European and world junior gold he can now be put alongside Daley, who became world champion aged 15 last year in Rome, as yet another Briton to watch on the global stage.

In the opening rounds on Saturday Igor Myalin of Russia set the early pace but faltered in rounds eight and nine. However, Laugher’s strength and height out-psyched his main opposition and he kept his composure to take the gold.

Laugher scored 8.5’s on his inward one-and-a-half somersault, 7.5s on his forward one-and-a-half somersault and 8.5’s on his reverse two-and-a-half somersault dives.