Izzy Thorpe and Kate Shortman won a second artistic swimming medal in four days at the World Championships and with it qualified for the Olympics.
The British pair won bronze in the free duet final in Doha, after a historic silver in Monday’s technical duet.
Their combined results from both events left them as the highest scoring pair yet to qualify for Paris and therefore secured a spot at this summer’s Games.
“It’s such a relief now to say we have qualified,” said Shortman, 22.
“It’s incredible, honestly. If people knew how much it takes to get to an Olympic Games, it really should not be underestimated.
“People ask you all the time, ‘so when are you going to the Olympics?’ and you have to say, ‘the job’s not done yet.’
“It’s such a relief to be able to say we have finally made it.”
Shortman and Thorpe finished with 247.26 points in the free duet final, only pipped by China, who took gold with 250.77, and the Netherlands’ 250.49 points in second place.
Thorpe, also 22, added: “Even after the prelims swim yesterday, everyone was saying, ‘ah, you’ve basically made it’, and we were like ‘no, no, it’s not done until it’s done!’
“So we are just so happy it’s a weight off our shoulders – and on to big things hopefully this year.”
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