Bronze medals hanging around their necks, Jasmin Harper and Scarlett Mew Jensen smiled proudly as they returned to the Olympic Village.
Cameras prepared to capture synchronized divers unaccustomed to spotlights like this.
Mew Jensen was particularly ecstatic after a partial broken back forced her away from the trampoline for six weeks in the build-up to Paris.
Coming back to compete was “terrifying” and “de-stressing”she told Sky News shortly after the 3m synchronized springboard final.
But they delivered – much to the relief of British sport, with more than £240 million invested in the Paris project.
And it takes nothing away from their achievement – as Team GB’s first female diving medalists in 64 years – which the pair hope will be overshadowed in the next two weeks.
The hope is that the gold will soon start flowing.
But Harper and Mew Jensen will always have their place as the first Brits to collect medals on the opening day of an Olympics in 20 years – climbing the leaderboard as their Australian rivals faltered.
Even in the glorious summer of London 2012, there was no opening day success for the hosts.
And the day got even better when Anna Henderson conquered the treacherous weather on the soggy streets of Paris.
Ana Henderson. Photo: PA
As rivals fell, the skier-turned-cyclist took silver in front of the Grand Palais – one of the many milestones showcased at these games.
“I didn’t realize how slippery it was out there until I got on the course,” she said. “I thought I might lose a whole Olympic Games on a corner here.”
The rain put an end to skateboarding events and some tennis matches at Roland Garros.
So the best place to be on Saturday was the pool. Especially for Adam Peaty.
Sir Keir Starmer meets British Olympians
Qualifying faster for the 100m breaststroke final was the perfect preparation to complete the quest for gold at the third consecutive Olympics.
A personal milestone awaits and would certainly help Team GB reach their medal target.
“It’s 50 to 70,” said chef de mission Mark England. “If we got somewhere in between, we would have done a fantastic job.”
Team GB feels they are at the right time.
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However, there was a sour note for British sport on Saturday – a note that could have far-reaching consequences.
Although Bev Priestman is less well-known in England, she was part of Phil Neville’s coaching team that reached the semi-finals of the 2019 Women’s World Cup.
And she was an Olympic champion coach with Canada – leading the defense of the women’s soccer title here until the outbreak of a spying scandal this week.
Canadian personnel were caught using drones to spy on rival New Zealand’s training session ahead of their Olympic debut.
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‘We gave everything we had’
Starmer is greeted with a hug by Macron before the opening ceremony
Already banned from France, Priestman was suspended for a year from football by FIFA on Saturday.
The punishment could have a lasting effect on a women’s football star’s reputation.
For someone who has the credentials to one day manage the Lionesses – and potentially Britain’s footballers if they qualify for the Olympics again – is a quick fall from grace.
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