Ripon diver Jack Laugher "scared to dive" as he battled with his mental health

Ripon diver and Olympic bronze medallist Jack Laugher has spoken of his mental health struggles in the run up to the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games.

The 26-year-old placed third in the 3m springboard on Tuesday - adding to his gold and silver medals he won at Rio 2016.

But the bronze medal winner described the run up to the games the 'worst two years of his life' and said he was sometimes 'scared to dive'.

He said: "I've been through a lot over the last couple of years and my diving career has really taken a turn for the worst and so has my mental health but this felt like a triumph and a combination of hard work and love and support from a lot of people.

"I really tried to stay concentrated but as soon as I saw that I was on the podium I just broke down. I was so relieved with everything that I'd overcome and that I'd put everything behind me and I felt like I was finally back to myself again.

"The World Championships in 2019 I pretty much failed my last dive and that one really affected me massively. I was at one of my lowest points and then the problem kept persisting and it really affected my mental health. I was trying my hardest and giving 110% but I was still making mistakes.

“I had no confidence in myself, my anxiety was through the roof. I was physically scared to do the dive. I wanted to quit this year, quite a few times. It has been awful. I've hated it.

"There is only so much a man can take but now I've got a medal round my neck it feels like it is redemption."

Jack completed the full set of Olympic medals - after synchro gold and individual silver at Rio 2016 - with his third-place finish in the men's 3m springboard final on Tuesday, behind the Chinese duo of Xie Siyi and Wang Zongyuan.

He was on course to win gold at the 2019 World Championships in South Korea, but after leading from the first round he dropped his final dive and slipped to bronze.