A lavish Chinese procession, a dramatic Australian choke, and Team GB’s first medal of the 2024 Olympics. On an eventful first morning at the Aquatics Arena, Scarlett Mew Jensen and Yasmin Harper secured a bronze medal in the women’s synchronised 3m springboard, showcasing one of diving’s enduring truths: talent, training, dedication, and resilience are crucial—but sometimes, a bit of luck is also required.
For the Chinese duo, Chang Yani and Chen Yiwen, luck was hardly a factor. Unbeaten globally since 2022, they swept to victory with a lead exceeding 23 points. In a competition where the standards are astoundingly high and every athlete is remarkably skilled, the Chinese pair appeared to be competing on an entirely different level, diving not just into the water but seamlessly through it, as if choreographed by advanced technology.
For Mew Jensen and Harper, after starting the final round in fourth place, the tension mounted as they awaited the results. China had captured gold, with the United States duo of Sarah Bacon and Kassidy Cook taking silver. Australia, through Maddison Keeney and Anabelle Smith, held a solid third place. A decent final dive, a forward 2½ somersaults with a twist, was required for a medal.
However, as they executed their last jump, Smith miscalculated at the edge of the board and veered off on a diagonal trajectory, landing with all the elegance of a crash test dummy falling from a height. The dream was shattered; four years of dedication culminated in a chaotic splash, and Smith—who had entered with a reputation for consistency—was left utterly distraught.
Throughout much of the contest, it looked as though Mew Jensen and Harper might miss out. They executed a solid opening back dive, positioning themselves second. But Harper’s over-rotation on their third dive—similar to the misstep that befell the Australians—dropped them to sixth, behind not only Australia but also Germany and Italy.
Yet, these two have navigated far tougher challenges. Mew Jensen, hailing from Tower Hamlets, faced disappointment at the Tokyo Games three years prior and then endured profound grief with the passing of her coach David Jenkins from sudden adult death syndrome, at just 31. Now under new coach Jane Figuereido and benefiting from extensive therapy, she has clawed her way back to the pinnacle of a sport that fascinated her for more than ten years, ever since she could hear the cheers from the Olympic Stadium from her London home.
Britain’s Scarlett Mew Jensen and Yasmin Harper took bronze in the women’s synchronised 3m springboard diving final. Photograph: Sébastien Bozon/AFP/Getty Images
Harper trains at Ponds Forge in Sheffield under coach Tom Owens and started her diving career relatively late at 14 after transitioning from gymnastics. Mew Jensen recalls a junior competition when Harper hit the board during practice, emerging from the pool with her shin severely injured. After a significant amount of bandaging, she was back on the board, triumphing in that event.
The two had competed as juniors before officially partnering in 2022. Following a silver at the World Championships in Fukuoka last year and a bronze in Doha in February, they exceeded their previous scores in both events. However, for much of the morning, they appeared to be on the brink of failure. As they climbed out of the pool post-dive, they seemed both defiant and defeated, realizing they now needed a miracle. To their elation—and that of the millions watching at home—that miracle came through.
