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Interview: Commonwealth gold medallist duo Jack Laugher, Chris Mears

Divers Jack Laugher and Chris Mears talk to Sports Mole moments after collecting Commonwealth gold for England in the synchronised 3m springboard.

Leeds-based duo Jack Laugher and Chris Mears won Commonwealth gold in the men's synchronised 3m springboard event this lunchtime to cap off their time at the Games in style.

For 19-year-old Laugher, it is a third medal in three events at the Royal Commonwealth Pool in Edinburgh after gold in the 1m springboard and silver in the individual 3m springboard.

Mears, meanwhile, wins his first medal of the Games and a first at international level after just missing out on a medal in the 1m, his only other event.

The duo, who live and train together in Leeds and are best friends, scored 431.94 to comfortably beat Australia's Matthew Mitcham and Grant Nel, with another English pair - Nick Robinson-Baker and Freddie Woodward - collecting bronze.

Sports Mole spoke to Laugher and Mears just moments after they had collected their gold medals about their emotions, the future and more.

Jack Laugher and Chris Mears of England pose with their gold medals after winning the synchronised 3m springboard event at the Commonwealth Games on August 1, 2014© Getty Images

Gold at the Commonwealth Games, how are you feeling guys?

Mears: "Pretty good. That was pretty awesome. We knew what we could do today, we knew what we had to do, it was just what the other guys were going to do as well. We put up a really really good score. Absolutely fantastic, I'm really pleased. Amazing."

Is that a new personal best?

Laugher: "I think 432 is our best, so pretty close. We were absolutely flying. Our first three optional dives were absolutely fantastic, some of the best we've ever done. Some little bits here and there but absolutely fantastic.

"It was our last dive that we both dropped a little bit. We both wanted to go for a 100 points and it was so close to getting that, but we still got an absolutely fantastic score and to come away with a gold medal is the dream come true."

Jack, that four-and-a-half is the one that cost you gold last night in the individual 3m. Were you feeling the pressure a bit?

Laugher: "I went to bed last night and all I wanted to do, all I could think of was just nailing that. I put it down pretty well, it wasn't too bad. I mean after yesterday it kind of gave me a good feeling that I could try really hard and hopefully get it down. That's all I wanted really."

Mears: "That front is kind of make or break. That's why we put it at the end, because we know we're both pretty good under pressure and we both really like fun.

"I scored 100.7 at the Olympics, Jack scored I think 108 this year. Russia I think it was, which is the most anyone's ever scored on front four-and-a-half so he's got that experience and I've got my experience with front, so it's just that kind of dive.

"You hit it and we can be up there 450. We will get there some day, hopefully!"

English diving duo Chris Mears and Jack Laugher compete in the synchronised men's 3m springboard final at the Commonwealth Games on August 1, 2014© Getty Images

What's the next goal now? Mixing it with the Chinese at the top of the world stage?

Mears: "That's the aim. We'll see. We've got a lot to do. We've got Europeans after this, so we're not finished yet for this year. So we've got to go and smash up the Europeans, see what we can do there.

"That's a really hard competition for us because we've got all the top dogs in the world apart from China and the USA, so that's going to be a pretty tough one. Then we're going to have a couple of weeks off, rest, recuperate and then come back to training and smash up training and get strong again. I need to get strong next to this guy and jump as high as him."

How about tonight, will there be a big party to celebrate?

Mears: "I think we're going to have a meal with our parents."

Laugher: "We've got a lot of training to do before Europeans so we've got to get back in 11 days. Everybody else is pretty much finished I think, so they're going to go and have a good time, but we've got Europeans so we've got to concentrate because it's not over. After that's over, go on holiday for two weeks in Mexico."

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Jack Laugher and Chris Mears of England pose with their gold medals after winning the synchronised 3m springboard event at the Commonwealth Games on August 1, 2014
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