GB’s first medal of the Olympic games went to Yasmin Harper and Scarlett Mew Jensen, who claimed bronze in dramatic circumstances at the Aquatics Centre.

The pair had slipped down into sixth place after the third round of the women’s 3m synchronised event before improving to fourth with better efforts in the next two rounds.

Minutes after winning an unexpected bronze, alongside diving teammate Yasmin Harper in the women’s synchronised 3m springboard final, Scarlett revealed a partial back facture just three months ago almost prevented her from competing at all.

The 22-year-old, who lives in Limehouse, feared her Games were over before she’d even packed a bag but after six weeks of rest she was back twisting and contorting her body to a bronze that marks Team GB's opening-day success in 20 years.

The pair shed tears when the scoreboard confirmed their place on the podium, and no wonder.

Australia’s Maddison Keeney and Anabelle Smith had looked set to beat them until their last dive cleared the path for a British podium – and the sweetest of moments for Mew Jensen.

“I didn’t think it was going to be possible,” Mew Jensen told Team GB News.

“The individual competition was off the table for me right away when I hurt my back.

“I have got to push that doubt to the side and having the team and Yas being so supportive and our coaches have been incredible.

“We have got to this point and I am ecstatic. It was a partial back fracture and we had to pull out of the World Super finals in China.

“I had an MRI and I had six weeks out, no diving at all but I had to maintain my strength and conditioning. But I have come back and I don’t think I have been diving any better and our timing has been the best it has ever been and it showed.

“I have not re-scanned it, I have not been in any pain. I am going to rest and then see what the situation is.”

Mew Jensen won silver at the Diving World Championships in Fukuoka, Japan, in July last year.

Then 21 years old, she was competing in the 3m Synchro event with her partner Harper, from Sheffield, and not only won a medal, but also secured a GB Olympic quota spot for Paris 2024.

It was the first ever medal won by GB women on springboard at a World Championships.

"There's loads of emotions, I'm still in shock, still can't really believe it," Mew Jensen told the BBC.

"I'll definitely have a massive cry later and got a few tears earlier, nothing crazy, but yeah, I'm incredibly proud of both of us. Unbelievable."