What did you do over the weekend? Well, Jazmin Sawyers improved her long jump PB Indoors. In this feature, Stuart Weir, our senior writer for all things European Athletics, wrote this piece about the extremely talented athlete/musician, who, in working with Coach Lance Brauman at PURE Athletics, has found new PBs and new medals.
Jazmin Sawyers’ weekend
“I have had a good weekend”, Jazmin Sawyers tweeted after jumping 6.75 meters, an indoor PR, and then entering the 60 m for fun and running the qualifying time for the GB indoor championships later this month. She confirmed that she was going to run at the Champs. I only quoted the first half of her tweet. She added: “6.75!! Me!! In February!!”, a typical response from someone who is a very professional athlete without taking herself too seriously! (Even I am catching her infectious use of the exclamation marks!)
Jazmin Sawyers, LJ, Manchester 2022, British Champs, photo by Getty Images/ British Athletics
Jazmin has another unique distinction as the only athlete who has ever stood me up for an interview because she’d been asked to sing at the function! It was Oslo, 2017, the Bislett Games, and the organizers, knowing of Jazmin’s almost professional singing talent, invited her to sing. To be fair to her she was most apologetic and rearranged to talk to me the next day.
MANCHESTER, ENGLAND – JUNE 25: Jazmin Sawyers of Stoke competes during the Women’s Long Jump Final during Day Two of the Muller UK Athletics Championships at Manchester Regional Arena on June 25, 2022 in Manchester, England. (Photo by Stephen Pond – British Athletics/British Athletics via Getty Images)
She’s been a consistent performer for years without quite breaking into the absolute top level as her championship record shows.
2011 – Commonwealth Youth Games – Gold
2012 – World Junior Championships – Bronze
2013 – European Junior Championships – Silver
2014 – Commonwealth Games – Silver
2015 – European U23 Championships – Silver
2016 – Olympic Games – 8th. European Championships – Silver.
2017 – European Indoor Championships – 6th.
2018 – European Championships – 4th. Commonwealth Games – 7th.
2021 – Olympic Games – 8th
2022 – European Championships – Bronze, World Championships – 9th, Commonwealth Games – 4th
Jazmin Sawyers of Great Britain & Northern Ireland, Ivana Vuleta of Serbia, and Malaika Mihambo of Germany in action during the ATHLETICS – WOMEN’S LONG JUMP FINAL at Olympiastadion during the European Championships 2022 on August 18, 2022, in Munich, Germany. Photo: Karl-Josef Hildenbrand / Munich2022
Starting athletics at elementary school her best events were the high jump, long jump, and hurdles, which pulled her towards multi-events and in fact in 2011, she was ninth in the heptathlon at the World Youth Championships.
The selfie caught on camera: Ivana Vuleta, Malaika Mihambo and Jazmin Sawyers, photo by European Athletics
Then there was Bobsledding. She was invited to trials with a view to selection for the Junior Olympics. While it didn’t happen, she has not ruled out giving it another go – citing Lauryn Williams, Tianna B, and Lolo Jones.
Let’s clear up the singing. She told me: “I used to do music theatre from when I was young until 13-14. I stopped because athletics was taking over. But if you ask the poor girls I compete against, they would say that I am always singing – out and about, on the track, and in competition. I started properly – writing songs and performing in my first year in uni. Music is my release. It releases me – especially in writing. It is cathartic. It is a nice way to be creative outside of such a rigid and performance-driven industry and environment within the sport”. She has appeared on the British TV talent show “The Voice” singing in front of Tom Jones – you can’t say that is not unusual.
MANCHESTER, ENGLAND – JUNE 25: Jazmin Sawyers of Stoke competes during the Women’s Long Jump Final during Day Two of the Muller UK Athletics Championships at Manchester Regional Arena on June 25, 2022 in Manchester, England. (Photo by Stephen Pond – British Athletics/British Athletics via Getty Images)
In 2017, she had a think about where she was going: “I always thought that my take-off was good and my jumping was good but my weakness was my speed. Several people said to me ‘if you want someone with the jumps background who will make you faster, Lance Brauman is the man’. I wanted to do whatever would make me jump better”. The partnership worked well. She explained to me what she wanted from a coach: “I want someone who believes that I have the same potential as I believe I do. I want someone who is clear about the program that they want me to do. Someone who will treat athletes as individuals, someone who cares about me as an individual and that I can get along with. Some people just see the coaching relationship as a business. I understand that but I need to get on with my coach. I have a good relationship with lance and enjoy working with him. I don’t do well being told off. I’m not thick-skinned I’m sensitive”.
At 29 and with a PR of 6.90 meters, she is ready to kick on. Hopefully, the early-season indoor PR will kick-start her season.
