Britain wins first Olympic diving gold in men's synchronized 3m springboard

Jack Laugher and Chris Mears of the United Kingdom pose for pictures with their gold medals during the men's synchronised 3m springboard victory ceremony at the 2016 Rio Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Aug 10, 2016. [Photo/Agencies]

RIO DE JANEIRO - Britain's Jack Laugher and Chris Mears ended China's gold medal monopoly over diving events at the Rio Olympics by winning the men's synchronized 3m springboard final on Wednesday, the country's first-ever Olympic gold medal in diving.

Laugher and Mears finished with a six-round total of 454.32 points, just 4.11 points ahead of silver medallists Mike Hixon and Sam Dorman of the USA at the Maria Lenk Aquatics Center.

China's Cao Yuan and Qin Kai took the bronze with 443.70 points.

Third with two rounds remaining, China overtook the USA with their penultimate dive. But they were relegated to third after posting 83.22 in the last round while Britain scored 91.20 and the USA 98.04.

China were strong favorites going into Wednesday's final, having claimed gold in each of the first three diving events of the Rio Games.

Qin, 30, won the men's synchronized 3m springboard at the last two Olympics and took gold at last year's World Championships in Kazan alongside Cao.

On Sunday, Shi Tingmao and Wu Minxia took gold in the women's synchronized 3m springboard and on Monday Chen Aisen and Lin Yue secured the men's synchronized 10m platform title.

Jack Laugher and Chris Mears of United Kingdom celebrate after winning gold in the men's synchronised 3m springboard diving final at the 2016 Rio Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Aug 10, 2016. [Photo/Agencies]