Grace Reid rewarded for work ethic with silver medal

Edinburgh Diving Club's Grace Reid and Tom Daley collect their 3m mixed synchro silver medals. Picture: Clive Rose/Getty Images

Reid, from the Edinburgh Diving Club, became Scotland’s first ever World Championships medallist when she claimed a silver with Tom Daley in the 3m mixed synchro event in Budapest.

The duo were joint first after three rounds and put in a good fourth dive of 66.60 points to put them second behind China with one dive to go. They also had Canada and Germany breathing down their necks.

The last round was edgy, but they showed composure with 72.54 points to finish on 308.04, China winning and Canada third.

Credit must go to Reid’s coaches Jen Leeming and Nick Robinson-Baker, who have helped guide the 21-year-old through the highs and lows that she has experienced over the last couple of years.

Leeming said: “After the 2016 Olympics Grace was on a real high and she was determined to go into 2017 and attack it with a bang and keep improving.

“She has had a superb World Championships and that is down to a full season of hard work and focus.

“Grace has been balancing training and university work and she has given everything to both. Surrounded by a great support team she has managed to progress from where she was at the Olympics, to finish fifth, fourth and second in her events at the worlds is phenomenal.

“It is so hard to find physically and mentally talented girls that can handle the pressure at the top end of the sport, but she can. I cannot wait to see what she can do in 2018.”

Meanwhile, Reid has revealed she only had a few hours sleep the night before she went out and secured the silver medal.

She was on duty on Friday night in Hungary, diving very well to finish fourth in the 3m individual event.

And because she was buzzing from that showing she struggled to get a good night’s sleep afterwards.

It meant that she woke up ahead of the 3m mixed synchro final on Saturday not feeling her best, but as soon as she and Daley got on the practice boards things just began to click.

They seem to have a great connection, keeping each other relaxed and from the very first round they were in the mix for a medal.

Reid said: “I only had a few hours sleep as I was still on a high from Friday night. Tom and I haven’t been able to train together at all this week – we were just winging it out there.

“It’s hard to say why the partnership works so well, but I think we have similar kind of technique across certain dives and mentally we attack training. We give it everything and I am just delighted.

“It’s been a very surreal weekend. I don’t really know which way is up at the minute, but what a fantastic way to end my first World Championships. I feel I can kick on from here.”

Scottish Swimming’s performance director Ally Whike was in Budapest watching and he said: “We are absolutely delighted for Grace. The self belief she has gained since her great performance at last year’s Olympics in Rio is allowing her to approach major competitions with more confidence knowing she has earned the right to be there and is now a real medal contender.

“The investment from  Scottish Swimming and  Edinburgh Leisure and the support from sportscotland in full-time coaching, has provided the foundation for great progress with her coaches Jen Leeming and Nick Robinson-Baker.”