Baku 2015: Haslam and Heatly in perfect sync for success

Ross Haslam and James Heatly proved long distance relationships can work as they secured European Games diving silver.

Heatly, 18, lives in Edinburgh and Haslam, 17, in Sheffield, which means long commutes for training in a sport where being in sync is everything.

And they reaped the benefits of those hours on the road, securing their career best performance by banking a 3m synchronised springboard podium place in Baku.

"There's been a lot of travelling to get ready for this but it's certainly been worth it," said Haslam.

"Since the British Championships we've won gold with a personal best at the Seven Nations in Sweden, which gave us real confidence.

"We've been training really hard for this event and although we didn't get all our dives out, you can't be disappointed with a silver medal."

Russia's Ilia Molchanov and Nikita Nikolaev delivered on their favourites' status to claim gold with 324.69 points - but Heatly claims the gap is closing.

"Our personal best is not far off what the Russians got, so if we could have matched that then who knows," he said, after posting a score of 286.05

"But we still got a silver medal and everyone else did well, so to still come out on top of them is really good."

Meanwhile, Great Britain's Millie Fowler and Katherine Torrance finished sixth and eighth in the women's 1m springboard final also won by Russia - Maria Polykova taking gold.

© Sportsbeat 2015