Yorkshire grit aids Olympic success
“I don’t quite know what the secret is,” smiled diver Jack Laugher on being asked by Olympics.com at the Aquatics GB Diving Championships in June why the region has produced so many top-level athletes. “I think something must be in the water, right.”
Laugher, a four-time Olympic medallist, including gold in the men’s 3m synchro alongside Chris Mears at Rio 2016, and currently adding to his collection of eight World medals at Singapore 2025, was born in Harrogate, North Yorkshire. He spent the majority of his career in Leeds (West Yorkshire), before switching training bases for the 2025 season, alongside fellow Olympic-medal winning diver and long-term partner Lois Toulson. The pair now train in Sheffield (South Yorkshire) where the admitted homebodies commute from their house in Leeds.
“Obviously when you start getting success it just breeds more of it, so, yeah, we’re tough people in Yorkshire and I think it’s got that competitive grit that makes us great,” said Laugher of the region that incorporates four counties, houses nigh on 5.5 million people, and is larger in size than Greater London.
Toulson, a bronze medallist in women’s 10m platform alongside Andrea Spendolini-Sirieix at Paris 2024, agreed, telling Olympics.com: “I think just from being from that part of the world, everyone’s so friendly and supportive.”
Two athletes that used to train in the pool alongside the pair in Leeds, were two of Britain’s most famous Olympians; two-time triathlon gold medallist Alistair Brownlee and three-time medallist and younger brother, Jonny Brownlee.
“The first interactions I had were the Brownlees, who used to come to the pool, and I remember I’d be so starstruck,” smiled Toulson. “I’m like, ‘Oh my God, it’s the Brownlees’… but yeah, Leeds is amazing for sport, and I love it at the Olympics you get to see, I think it’s Yorkshire maybe as a whole on the medal table.
“Me and Jack always watch that because we end up quite high and the majority is from Leeds and yeah, it just makes me so proud to be from where I am and it’s great to get to chat with everyone kind of share their experiences and yeah, just encourage the whole of Leeds and Yorkshire.”