Commonwealth champions Jack Laugher and Chris Mears eased their way into the 3m Synchro final at the Kazan 2015 World Championships
Competing together for the first time at a World Championships, the British pair scored 417.33 to progress in fourth as Russia’s home favourites Ilya Zakharov and Evgeny Kuznetsov led the way on 448.68.
Laugher and Mears will know they can improve on their prelim score, having reached 433.80 for silver at the World Series leg in London this season.
But after finishing in style with 96.90 for their last dive – their high tariff forward 4 ½ somersaults with tuck – Laugher insisted they would be approaching the final with plenty of confidence.
“We’re very happy with that performance,” said Laugher. “We’ve had some ups and downs this year but we’re excited for the final now.”
“I missed two of my dives this morning so if I can hit them later and Jack does as well, then we should be pretty good,” added Mears, who finished seventh and eighth in this event at the past two World Championships.