England’s Jack Laugher all smiles after diving gold

English diver Jack Laugher made the perfect start to his bid for a Commonwealth Games treble by retaining his 1m springboard title on the Gold Coast on Wednesday.

Laugher, who is also expected to challenge for gold in the individual and synchronised 3m springboard events, comfortably beat the field in Australia with a score of 438.00 points.

The 23-year-old from Yorkshire is an Olympic and Commonwealth silver medallist in his other individual event, which starts on Thursday, while he and Chris Mears are the reigning Olympic champions in the synchro, which begins on Friday.

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“Ive only had a couple of weeks training leading into this and defending a title is so tough, so Im really proud,” said Laugher.

Laughers gold followed silvers for Alicia Blagg and Katherine Torrance in the womens synchronised 3m springboard, despite the pair only practising for two weeks before the competition.

Robbie Grabarz became the latest leading English medal hope to suffer a disappointing Games when he bowed out early in the mens high-jump final.

Grabarz follows triathletes the Brownlee brothers, gymnast Max Whitlock, previously unbeatable swimmer Adam Peaty and injured duo Adam Gemili and Tom Daley in falling short of expectations.

Sprinters Dina Asher-Smith and Zharnel Hughes reached their 200m finals, however, while Shara Proctor posted the best leap in qualifying for the long jump final.

Englands women reached the semi-finals of the netball competition as group winners after they beat New Zealand.

Scotland achieved their best medal tally at an overseas Commonwealth Games thanks in part to diver James Heatlys bronze behind Englands Laugher in the 1m springboard event.

Heatlys success made him Scotlands first diving medallist at the Games since his grandfather Sir Peter Heatly won gold in 1958.

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