Tom Daley-Rebecca Gallantree claim mixed team diving event at World Championships

Gold medallists Rebecca Gallantree and Tom Daley of Great Britain pose during the medal ceremony of the 16th FINA World Championships

Kazan (Russia), July 30 (IANS)

Tom Daley and Rebecca Gallantree from Britain won the inaugural mixed team diving event at the World Swimming Championships.

The mixed team event requires each of pair to dive alternately three times with at least one dive each on the 3m springboard and 10m platform, reports Xinhua.

Daley, 2009 world champion in men's 10m platform and bronze medallist in the 2012 Olympics, showed perfect form on his favourite platform with a day high 101.50 points and 99 points that helped the British divers on the top of the podium at 434.65.

Oleksandr Gorshkovozov and Lullia Prokopchuk of Ukraine came second (426.45) and Xie Siyi and Chen Ruolin of China took the bronze (425.40).

“The victory means a lot of sacrifices”

"We did not have any expectation about this competition because we know China is so strong in a team event and also in the platform. I said to Becky that it is still a dream to listen to the national anthem while being in the highest march of the podium. I have dreams about it and when it finally happens it is such an insane feeling," Daley said.

"The victory means a lot of sacrifices, a lot of training, a lot of early mornings, lots of hamburgers not eaten, lots of French fries not eaten, lots of work hard."

In the synchronised swimming solo free final, Natalia Ishchenko of Russia earned her 18th world championship medal after she stepped out of the sport to give birth to her child. Ishchenko collected 97.233 points, ahead of China's Huang Xuechen (95.700) and Spain's Ona Carbonell (94.900).

"Each medal is precious for me. They are all unique, especially at the domestic world championships. Today I performed my routine better than in the preliminary. I tried to show off both artistic impression and technique as best I could," said the 29-year-old Ishchenko.