ASHTON diver Anthony Harding helped Great Britain achieve a best ever medal haul at the European Aquatics Championship in Italy.
Still fresh from their success at the Commonwealth Games, Harding and Jack Laugher took gold once again in the 3M synchro.
Now they have sights set on a golden hat-trick at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.
Their top of the podium finish was one of six golds won in Rome, a meeting that also yielded three silver and three bronze medals from 13 events.
The final total bettered the previous best haul of 11 achieved at London 2016 and it also meant the team topped the overall medal table.
Tameside star Harding and Laugher only formed their partnership at the start of 2022 season. And it has proved a fruitful combination.
After securing a world championship silver on their maiden international synchro outing in June, the duo claimed gold for Team England at Birmingham 2022.
Harding, who had patiently waited all week for his chance to compete said: “I found I was training alright at the start of the week and trying to keep on top of everything.
“But it was tough before the event [in training] which caused a few nerves. struggled a little bit with the spotting in the clouds.
“Thankfully, it lightened up a little better for me during the event.
“I think I can say I’m genuinely over the moon with all three competitions we’ve done this year.
“I don’t think it could have gone any better. I’m super happy to be diving with Jack for the next few years building towards Paris.”
In the Italian capital, the Leeds based pair made an excellent start in the by landing two polished required dives and a Forward 2 1/2 Somersaults 2 Twists Pike (5154B) to take them to a leading score of 183.48 at the halfway mark.
A slight drop in the execution of their fourth dive saw them briefly slip into second.
With the pressure of the leader board having closed in around them, the world silver medallist responded brilliantly with their subsequent Forward 4 1/2 Somersaults Tuck (109C) dive adding 84.36 points to their tally as they re-established their place at forefront of the competition.
The gold was then cemented beyond doubt with a Forward 2½ Somersaults 3 Twists (5156B) – their hardest degree of difficulty dive taking the British duo up to an unmatched 412.83.