A diver called his sport a 'bit of a b----' after he failed to defend his Olympic gold in dismal fashion

• Great Britain's Jack Laugher concluded that diving is a "b----" after failing to defend his Olympic title.
• Laugher finished second last in the 3 meter synchronized springboard title alongside Daniel Goodfellow.
• "Today was just a bad day," Laugher, who won gold in the same event at Rio 2016 said.

Great Britain's Jack Laugher was unable to offer any explanation for the calamitous defence of his Olympic synchronized diving title, concluding that "diving is a bit of a b----."

Laugher became Britain's first ever Olympic diving champion four years ago in Rio, winning gold in the men's 3 meter synchronized springboard title alongside Chris Mears.

Diving alongside new partner Daniel Goodfellow in Tokyo, however, the duo narrowly avoided finishing last.

Four of the pair's six dives were scored as the worst of the round and they ended the competition a massive 85 points behind winners China.

"Today was just a bad day and everybody has them," said Laugher. "Sometimes you can't put your finger on it.

"We woke up feeling good. We felt a little bit nervous but no more than a normal competition. Springboard diving is a bit of a b---- really.

"It really does just go south very quickly and there is very little you can do about it.

"Today the errors that we made weren't really errors through nerves, they were almost too much adrenaline, too much speed, too quick on our somersaults. It's just how it goes sometimes.

"It's not the result we want and I apologise to everyone at home, but we move on."

BBC commentator Leon Taylor, a former Team GB diver who won a silver medal at the Athens Olympics, described the pair's performance as "dismal."

Fortunately for Laugher, he still has a chance to redeem himself in Tokyo.

The 26-year-old competes in the 3 meter individual springboard - an event in which he won silver at Rio 2016 - next week.

"I think for me now it's about trying to iron those mistakes out, trying to work out why they happened, and moving forward," he said. "I feel pretty good right now. It's just [about] keeping my head down."