Jack David LaugherMBE (/lɔː/LOR; born 30 January 1995) is a British diver competing for Great Britain and England. A specialist on springboard, he competes in individual springboard events, and in synchronised events with Chris Mears, Daniel Goodfellow and Anthony Harding.[3] Laugher and Mears became Britain's first diving Olympic champions by winning a gold medal in the men's synchronised 3m springboard event at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio, an achievement many had expected double world 10m champion Tom Daley would achieve first.[4] A week later, Laugher won a silver in the men's individual 3m springboard at the same Games, becoming the first British diver to win multiple Olympic diving medals at the same Games.[5]
Laugher was a double Commonwealth Games champion for England at the 2014 Games in Glasgow, a double champion again at the 2022 Games in Birmingham (in 1m springboard and 3m synchro on both occasions), and a triple champion (1 metre springboard, 3 metre springboard and 3 metre synchro) in the 2018 Games at the Gold Coast. He was the first British diver to win two medals at the same World Championships, the 2015 World Championships.[6] In 2015, Laugher won the overall title in the FINA Diving World Series for 3-metre springboard.[7]
Laugher became interested in diving when he was seven during a family visit to Harrogate Hydro Swimming Pool and a lifeguard told him to go for diving lessons.[10] He began to learn diving at the Harrogate and District Diving Club at the Hydro.[11] He broke his upper arm when he was 14 during a trampolining competition, and had a metal plate inserted to hold his humerus bone together.[8]
Laugher has stated that his surname is pronounced 'Law'.[12]
Diving career
2010–2011
Laugher won the one-metre and three-metre springboard titles at the 2010 European Junior Championships and the 2010 World Junior Championships.[13]
In September 2010, he competed at the World Junior Championships in Tucson, Arizona and won gold at both the 1m and 3m springboard events.[14] In October that year, he represented England at the 2010Commonwealth Games where he was partnered with Oliver Dingley in the synchro.[15][16]
Greg Louganis was reported as being impressed with Laugher's diving.[17]
2012–2015
In 2012 Laugher was selected for the Great Britain2012 London Olympics team. On 6 August 2012, he competed in the Men's 3-metre springboard,[13] but he failed to make it to the semi-final stage. In October 2012, Laugher became the Junior World champion again, winning the 3m springboard in Adelaide, Australia.[18] He won the 3m Synchro competition with Tom Daley.[19]
Laugher first teamed up with Chris Mears in the 3-metre Springboard in 2013.[20] In October 2013 he took on the role of Ambassador for the sport of VX.[21]
In July 2014, he won bronze in the 3m springboard at the World Cup held in Shanghai.[22] Soon afterwards at the 2014 Commonwealth Games, he won the gold medal in the 1m springboard, then a second gold in the 3m synchro with Chris Mears.[23]
At the 2015 World Championship in Kazan, Russia, Laugher and Mears won bronze in the 3m springboard synchro, thus qualifying for the Rio Olympics.[24] Laugher then won a second bronze in the individual 3m springboard, making him the first Briton to win two medals in a World Championships.[25]
2016 Olympics
Chris Mears and Jack Laugher at the 2016 Olympics in Rio
In January 2016, Laugher suffered a foot injury while training.[26] In May 2016, he won the 3m synchronised springboard at the European Championships in London with Mears, and a silver in the individual 3m springboard.[27]
At the 2016 Olympics, Laugher and Mears became the first ever diving gold medal winners for Great Britain in the men's synchronised 3-metre springboard. They scored 454.32, beating the American Sam Dorman and Michael Hixon (450.21) in silver medal position and the Chinese pair Qin Kai and Cao Yuan in bronze (443.70).[4] Laugher also won silver medal in the individual 3-metre springboard.[5]
2017
Laugher and Mears won three silvers in the 3m Synchro in four events of the Fina/NVC Diving World Series, two in China[28] and one in Russia.[29] However they finished out of the medal position in fourth at the 2017 World Aquatics Championships.[30]
2018
At the 2018 Commonwealth Games held on the Gold Coast, Australia, Laugher successfully defended his title on the 1m springboard.[31] The next day, he added another gold after winning the 3m springboard event,[32] then followed it up with a third gold of the Games after winning the men's 3-metre synchronised springboard with Chris Mears.[33] Earlier in the year, Mears and Laugher also won a silver in 3-metre synchro springboard at the 2018 FINA Diving World Cup held in Wuhan.[34] He also won a bronze in individual 3m springboard at the same event.[35]
Jack Laugher partnered with Dan Goodfellow in men's synchronised 3m springboard since his regular partner Chris Mears had decided to take a break from competition and then retired.[40][41] At the 2019 World Aquatics Championships held in Gwangju, South Korea, he won silver with Goodfellow in the 3m synchronised.[42] In his individual 3m springboard, after leading for much of the competition, he finished in the bronze position after an error in the final dive.[43]
At the Tokyo Olympics, Laugher and Dan Goodfellow came 7th in the men's synchronised 3m springboard.[46] He won the bronze medal in the individual 3m springboard.[47]
Laugher is supportive of the LGBT community and said: "I have quite a few gay friends, just from school and people I've met through diving and my journey. Everyone should feel comfortable to be gay and be who they are."[58][59]
During the Paris 2024 Olympics It was confirmed that Laugher along with other male members of the British diving team were posting pictures on the subscription-based online platform OnlyFans to make extra cash to make up for a perceived funding shortfall. His father Dave Laugher insisted to BBC News his son only posts "safe content" of himself 'in a pair of trunks' and there was nothing explicit in these posts.[60][61]
Honours
In 2017 Laugher won Diver of the Year at the British Swimming Awards.[62] At the 2018 British Swimming Awards, he won both the Diving Athlete of the Year and the Overall Athlete of the Year.[63] He was named European male diver of the year for 2016 by Ligue Europeenne de Natation (LEN), and again in 2018.[39]
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