Tom Daley and Jack Laugher are named in a phenomenally strong 12-person diving squad heading to the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games in less than two months’ time.
After a terrific performance at the FINA Diving World Cup in the Japanese capital last month – a competition that also doubled up as the Olympic test event – Team GB will be represented by a full complement of divers in every single event, after the four remaining places were secured.
Laugher, reigning Olympic champion, is one of the household names selected, and he heads to Japan to defend that crown. He will also target a second Olympic medal in the individual 3m Springboard event, after taking silver in that competition five years ago.
Laugher will be joined in the synchro by Rio 2016 bronze medallist Daniel Goodfellow, with Edinburgh’s James Heatly the other pick in the 3m individual.
Daley will once again double up in Tokyo, contesting both the 10m Platform and 10m Synchro events, the latter of which he won Olympic bronze in alongside Goodfellow in Rio. Now diving with Matty Lee in the synchro event, the Jane Figueiredo-coached duo will head to Japan full of confidence, after winning both the World Cup and European Championship titles last month.
Dive London athlete Daley also famously took bronze in the individual event at London 2012, and will look for further Olympic success in Tokyo – he also has two World titles to his name in that 10m Platform event. Joining him from the high board in the individual contest will be Noah Williams, whilst Andrea Spendolini-Sirieix and Lois Toulson will go in the women’s event, with Toulson partnered by Eden Cheng in the synchro.
Grace Reid, Kat Torrance and Scarlett Mew Jensen round out the diving dozen, Reid contesting both the Women’s 3m Springboard and 3m Synchro, with Mew Jensen joining her in the former and City of Leeds’ Torrance in the latter.
Of the team heading for Tokyo, Team GB Chef de Mission, Mark England, said: “It is a huge privilege to be able to welcome this talented group of athletes onto Team GB for the Tokyo Olympic Games.
“The performances we’ve consistently seen from these athletes throughout the recent World Cup and European competitions is testament to the hard work and dedication that the whole team has put in throughout what has been a very challenging year. Everyone who supports Team GB will be buoyed by what this team has achieved in recent weeks and will have every confidence that we will see more of these medal winning performances in Tokyo.
“Congratulations everyone and we look forward to welcoming you to Tokyo in July.”
British Diving Performance Director, Alexei Evangulov, added: “This has been the longest Olympic cycle ever, however the hardest part of it was the last year – our team exceeded all my expectation in terms of coping with all the challenges we experienced during the pandemic. There were a lot; pools closures, isolation, quarantine, uncertainness, competitions postponements, you name it. Our divers not only managed to secure their physical and technical shape in this situation, but also significantly improved their diving quality.
“All of this, plus our coaches and staff’s professionalism allowed us to come up to the homestretch to Tokyo with a great confidence, high ambitions and belief.”
Great Britain diving team for the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games:
Eden Cheng, London, Crystal Palace Diving
Thomas Daley, Plymouth, Dive London
Daniel Goodfellow, Cambridge, City of Leeds
James Heatly, Edinburgh, Edinburgh Diving Club
Jack Laugher, Harrogate, City of Leeds
Matty Lee, Leeds, Dive London
Scarlett Mew Jensen, London, Dive London
Grace Reid, Edinburgh, Dive London
Andrea Spendolini-Sirieix, London, Crystal Palace Diving
Katherine Torrance, Leeds, City of Leeds
Lois Toulson, Leeds, City of Leeds
Noah Williams, London, Dive London
–ENDS–
About The British Olympic Association:
The British Olympic Association (BOA) is the National Olympic Committee for Great Britain and Northern Ireland. Its mission is to develop, promote and protect the Olympic Movement in our territory in accordance with the Olympic Charter. The BOA achieves this through:
- Working in partnership with our members and key stakeholders to deliver world-leading services and support to enable British athletes to reach their full potential at the Olympic Games, Olympic Winter Games and other IOC-sanctioned events
- Working in partnership with our members and key stakeholders to provide athletes with relevant support on the journey to, during and following their Olympic careers
- Engaging people throughout the United Kingdom to pursue their very own goals and dreams through the Olympic Values and the example of Team GB Olympians
- Being the independent voice of Olympic Sport and collaborating with our members and other sport stakeholders, both domestically and internationally, to support the continued growth and overall health of the Olympic Movement in the UK
For further information, please visit TeamGB.com
Team GB’s Tokyo 2020 team announcements are proudly supported by our Great British Holidays Partner Haven. To view more please click here.