Laura Marino and Matthieu Rosset, crowned European champions a month ago, added world gold to their medal treasuries and gave France their first diving title of the 17th FINA World Championships when they won a close contest in the mixed team event in Budapest's Duna Arena on Day 5.

Rommel Pacheco and Viviana Del Angel had thrust Mexico into pole position, Pacheco producing two mighty dives from the 3m springboard each worth more than 90 points, leaving the French pair with a test of nerve in their last round of dives.

But the European champions, who had trailed the Mexicans by a tiny 1.55 points going into the third and final pair of dives, did not buckle when their turn came, Rosset producing a big last effort on the 3m board which pitched the French in front for the first time, the one time it really mattered.

Krysta Palmer and David Dinsmore secured the bronze, the first diving medal of the championships for the United States, Dinsmore nailing his final dive from the platform to guarantee their place on the podium ahead of Germany's Maria Kurjo and Patrick Hausding - Hausding being denied a second medal in two days, having claimed bronze with Sascha Klein in the men's 10m synchro the previous evening.

Team event podium

Marino and Rosset won with 406.40 points, with Del Angel and Pacheco second on 402.35 and Palmer and Dinsmore third on 395.90, just over 16 points ahead of Kurjo and Hausding.

Errors cost China, DPR Korea, Russia and Ukraine their medal chances in a new event introduced at the world championships in Kazan in 2015, when it was won by Tom Daley and Rebecca Gallantree of Great Britain.

Each pair dives in turn over three rounds, each member of the team doing a least one dive apiece on each of the 3m springboard and 10m platform. 

Si Yajie and Ren Qian, newly-crowned women's 10m synchro world champions, pointed China, who have won five titles in Budapest, towards more gold as they claimed top two spots in the semi-final of the women's 10m. 

Si, the 2013 world champion and 2016 Olympic silver medallist, led the way by some 15 points from Ren, who had topped the rankings in the preliminary round but had to recover from a blip in the third round of the semi-final.

Defending world champion Kim Kuk-hyang of DPR Korea, who beat Ren to the gold in Kazan, was third, opening up the prospect of an exciting final, with Olympic bronze medallist Meaghan Benfeito of Canada and Kim's synchro partner Kim Mi-rae also in the picture.

QUOTES

3m / 10m Team event

Laura Marino / Matthieu Rosset (FRA), gold

“This gold is very important for the country and for French divers as well, this is an amazing feeling. Last time in Kazan it was totally different because the team event debuted then, so it was a learning period for us. Our 5th rank encouraged us to improve and keep working together. I personally really like the team event, it is totally different from synchro, it is more like individual events, I do not have to be focused on my partner, so it is easier for me. Yet this event is quite challenging, because it is somewhat demanding to switch between the 10m platform and the 3m springboard, specially, when I start my dive from armstand. In this event there are only three attempts therefore it is not so exhausting and we can stay fresh both mentally and physically for the last attempt as well. Now we are proud to show the French Federation that diving is a major discipline in our country and it is not only swimming and open water swimming where French contenders can accomplish much.”

Krysta Palmer / David Dinsmore (USA), silver

“We have chills from head to toe. This is just an incredible feeling. First, we asked each other... what has just happened... we were really excited. First final, first medal, we are speechless. (David) I've got a couple of events left, I'm going to focus on that. I will go out there, try to do my best and hope the best. (Krysta) Just relax enjoy the moment, we already got our nerves out. We are literally writing history, it is an amazing feeling how far this sport got. We can't wait to see what is coming next. We need to figure out how to celebrate this medal.”

Vivian Del Angel Peniche / Rommel Pacheco Marrufo (MEX), bronze

“We are really happy about the silver and glad to share it with friends from France and USA. All teams were really close, so we did a good job. We made some good dives, we can improve ourselves. We made history and it feels awesome. We worked hard, improved step by step and made it to the final. Everything we did was worth it. Very few can say they made history for Mexico and today we have become one of them, so there are no words to explain it.”