Swimming World Championships in Rome: German water jumpers celebrate gold and bronze

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Tina Punzel and Lou Massenberg

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IMAGO/Andrea Masini / Deepbluemedia / Insidefoto / IMAGO/Insidefoto

The German water jumpers got their first EM medals in Rome after two screwed up days - and then there was gold right away.

Dubbing partners Tina Punzel and Lou Massenberg won the title on Wednesday.

"That was a huge relief," said Massenberg the moment he saw the "1" on the scoreboard in the Foro Italico.

»To be at the top again after 2018 is just awesome.

It couldn't be any better.« Even then he and Punzel had become European champions in mixed synchronized jumping from the three-meter board.

Shortly after the competition between the 21-year-old Berliner and the six-year-old Dresdener, Christina Wassen won bronze in the high diving.

"I hope the knot is broken now," she said.

With 314.10 points, the 23-year-old was only beaten by the British winner Andrea Spendolini Sirieix (333.60) and the Ukrainian Sofija Lyskun (329.80) on Wednesday.

The second German starter, Pauline Pfeif, took fourth place.

Massenberg and Punzel had not previously made any major mistakes.

With 294.69 points, they relegated the British duo Grace Reid and James Heatly (290.76) and the World Cup runners-up Chiara Pellacani and Matteo Santoro (283.56) from Italy to second and third place.

"We wanted to counter it and that we've managed to do it that way is just really awesome," said Punzel.

Previously, the hoped-for medals for the German jumpers had not been given on two days of competition.

"The pressure just increases from day to day, you can't deny that," said Punzel.

"I felt a bit of pressure, but I knew what we were made of."

National coach Lutz Buschkow was also relieved.

The 64-year-old reported on a team meeting the evening before and clear words.

"We have a relatively open atmosphere in the team - with some sparks flying," he said with a smile.

His top jumper Punzel, who has a special leadership role in the team after the career end of record European champion Patrick Hausding, already has the next chance for a medal this Thursday.

In synchronized jumping from the three-meter board, she and Lena Hentschel are among the favorites.

The two had won bronze together behind China and Canada at the Olympic Games in Tokyo.

ara/dpa