The synchronous duo Timo Barthel/Lars Rüdiger gave the German water jump team a perfect start at the swimming world championships in Budapest.
The newly formed couple surprisingly won the bronze medal from the 3-meter board with 406.44 points.
As expected, gold went to China's Cao Yuan/Wang Zongyuan (459.18) ahead of Britain's Anthony Harding/Jack Laugher (451.71).
The Berlin Rüdiger had won Olympic bronze in this discipline with his former partner Patrick Hausding last year.
With Barthel he jumped the same series in Budapest's Duna Arena as in Tokyo with Hausding.
The record European champion had officially ended his career before the World Cup.