With one of the best 3m springboard divers at his side, Dan Goodfellow believes the puzzle pieces of his partnership with Jack Laugher are falling into place ahead of Tokyo 2020.
Goodfellow only teamed up with Laugher, who won Rio 2016 synchronised gold with his previous partner Chris Mears to become Britain’s first diving Olympic champions, last year.
But despite their union being in its early stages, the duo secured their first major honour as a pair with 3m synchronised silver at the recent World Championships in South Korea.
And having secured Team GB’s quota place in the event for next year’s Games, which are only a year away, 22-year-old Goodfellow is confident the pairing will only go from strength to strength.
“I was actually not in the position I’m in now in the last Olympic cycle, I was just coming off the back of injury, I was still out of the picture when it came to the Olympics,” said the Cambridge diver.
“I didn’t have this preparation of thinking it’s a year to go so it’s nice to qualify a spot and to be in that preparation phase where I can just focus on the Olympic Games.
“We struggled to begin with because it’s hard not just being with a new partner but I transitioned from the platform to the springboard as well and they are completely different events.
“The partnership is going really well and we’ve done a lot in eight months as well, so with another year hopefully we can do some serious damage and bring back a good medal.
“I’m getting to grips with the springboard it’s just that training is different, competing is different but I have a good mentor in Jack, who is one of the best springboard divers in the world.
“He has done two Olympic Games already on the springboard and it’s a massive help to me, so hopefully within this next year he can keep teaching me and our partnership can flourish more.”
Goodfellow was previously partnered with Tom Daley before joining forces with Laugher, winning 10m platform synchronised bronze with the diving superstar on his Olympic debut in Rio.
In 2016 Laugher, from Harrogate, partnered Chris Mears to become Britain’s first diving Olympic champions by topping the podium in the men’s 3m springboard event at his second Games.
As he bids for a third consecutive Olympics, Laugher was keen to stress the important role the Games plays in bringing the country together in one big sporting celebration.
“When I was younger, I loved watching the Olympics and loved seeing how it brought everyone together, but when you’re away you don’t really feel how the nation perceives it,” he said.
“With everything going on at the moment the country is a bit split and divided so it would be nice to have something in a year that brings us all together for one cause to support Team GB.”
Sportsbeat 2019