Diving: Britain's Olympic champion Mears retires to follow music career

FILE PHOTO: 2016 Rio Olympics - Diving - Men's Synchronised 3m Springboard Victory Ceremony - Maria Lenk Aquatics Centre - Rio de Janeiro, Brazil - 10/08/2016. Jack Laugher (GBR) and Chris Mears (GBR) of United Kingdom celebrate on the podium next to Sam Dorman (USA) and Michael Hixon (USA) of USA, and Cao Yuan (CHN) and Qin Kai (CHN) of China. REUTERS/Pilar Olivares

(Reuters) - Britain's first Olympic diving champion Chris Mears, who won gold with his 3m springboard synchronised partner Jack Laugher, has retired from competition to pursue his music career.

The 26-year-old, who claimed the country's first Olympic gold medal in diving alongside Laugher at the Rio Olympics in 2016, had taken a break from the sport late last year.