ASHTON’S Anthony Harding was rewarded for his patience as he struck gold in the Commonwealth Games and European Aquatics Championships just weeks apart.
The 22-year-old, a former pupil at Cannon Burrows Primary and Copley Academy, won the men’s synchronised three-metre springboard title in Birmingham with Jack Laugher, a diving legend.
And the pair, who earlier this summer were runners-up in the FINA World Aquatics Championships, were triumphant again in Rome against Europe’s best.
Harding was delighted to finally have the chance to show what he can do, saying: “I have waited plenty of years. I’ve watched him [Laugher] at three other Commonwealths, three Olympics – so it’s been a while for me to get onto this kind of stage, and he’s a massive help.
“I’m over the moon with the medals. I did a pretty okay performance, but I could have done a little better.
Harding added how he had used Laugher as a template for his own success, explaining: “It’s like copying homework from the smart kid.
“I’ve watched him for 12 years in training and I’ve just copied everything he’s done.
The synchro is pretty much perfect.
“Diving with Jack has been an absolutely massive opportunity for me.
“There is that pressure where you feel like you have to do well because he’s had so many gold medals. I just have to put in a steady performance.”
Harding, who joined the now defunct Oldham Club aged six, and Laugher were paired together after the Tokyo Olympics in 2021.
And in their first competition at the FINA World Aquatics Championships, which were held in Budapest between June 17-July 3, Harding and Laugher won silver in the same event in which they won in Birmingham, losing narrowly to a Chinese pairing.
Olympic champion Laugher, 27, who won the discipline at Gold Coast 2018 and Glasgow 2014, made it a hat-trick of victories as the England duo sealed the title with 438.33 points – to win by a massive margin 61.56.
For Laugher, it was his seventh Games title in total and second gold of Birmingham 2022.
He praised his dive partner, explaining: “Anthony’s done a great job and it was a massive ask to come out here in his first Commonwealth Games in front of a big crowd and to perform that consistently and that solidly, so it’s a really, really good performance for a lot of reasons.
“Things need to be improved on, things need to get better but, overall, I am really happy with the performance and two golds is obviously the best I can ask for.”
Laugher admitted there was always room for improvement after taking in the atmosphere of the big event.
He added: “The feeling of winning is extraordinary, it’s the reason why I do this. I love the sport.
“Competing on the big stage and achieving massive things is part of this, is the enjoyment – it’s what keeps the fire burning.
“With this new partnership, what’s exciting for me is there’s still room for improvement.”
The beauty of the Games being close to home was that Harding was watched by family and friends, including Louise Bishop, his first coach at Oldham Diving Club.
“I think there were 28 of us all waving our flags,” explained mum Louize.
“It was great having the home crowd and Anthony said he tried to enjoy it, but he had to focus on his dives.”
Harding won a silver at the 2018 Youth Olympics in Buenos Aires, Argentina, but the last couple of months have seen compete at the highest level.
It has been quite a journey for Harding which began at Oldham Diving Club aged between six and 10 years when he joined City of Leeds Diving Club, and he is now based at the high-performance centre in the same city.
Harding was also involved in the failed fight to save the diving pool at Oldham Leisure Centre which was not replaced when the new building was built.