Clare Cryan wins first ever diving medal for Ireland at European Championships

Thirty-year-old diver finishes with bronze in Belgrade behind Norway’s Helle Tuxen and Great Britain’s Desharne Bent-Ashmeil

Ireland’s Clare Cryan celebrates winning a bronze medal. Photograph: Pasquale Mesiano/Inpho
Ireland’s Clare Cryan celebrates winning a bronze medal. Photograph: Pasquale Mesiano/Inpho

Claire Cryan won Ireland’s first ever diving medal at a senior European Championships after taking home bronze in the 3m springboard in Belgrade on Friday.

Cryan ended with a final score of 240.55 points after her five dives, finishing 2.65 points behind Norway’s Helle Tuxen who took the silver medal. Great Britain’s Desharne Bent-Ashmeil was the runaway winner as she finished 61.95 points ahead of second.

Cryan, who was originally born in Sheffield, has doubled Ireland’s medal tally at these championships after Danielle Hill took gold in the 50 backstroke on Thursday evening.

Hill returned to the pool on Friday for the 100m backstroke semi-finals, the event in which she will compete at the Olympics. She touched home in a time of 1.00.54 to progress to Friday’s final as the second fastest qualifier.

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Nathan Wiffen is also safely through to a final having qualified in the 1500m freestyle. His time of 15.10.10 was fourth fastest overall ahead of Saturday’s final.