Jump at
the chance.
Jazmin Sawyers.
Sport, law, music, broadcasting: Jazmin Sawyers has made sure to diversify in terms of the spaces she occupies. She tells us why this is key, and shares thoughts on Commonwealth medals and Midlands delicacies, women’s athletics and Will.I.Am, and what makes a sporting venue special
PEOPLE
Q How is preparation coming along ahead of this year’s outdoor competitions?
JS I was gutted not to compete at the World Indoor Athletics Championships but it’s given me an opportunity to work on my physical weaknesses and I’m pleased to report I’m back training at 100% – ready to get my outdoor seasons started. It was wonderful to see a championship with a crowd again, it made me even more excited for the outdoor season where we have three majors to look forward to, including a home Commonwealth Games, of course!
Q How did you feel about high-tech equipment replacing plasticine markers to flag take-off fouls?
JS It’s always great to see advances in sport but it’s important that it’s fully explained to the audience and spectators see the tech working in the same way that the officials do – many of the decisions made in Belgrade appeared to be made unfairly on the television but on speaking to one of the officials, they explained to me that the image the public was given wasn’t the image they had to make decisions based on. The equipment can work if there’s full transparency and understanding, although – speaking candidly – I don’t see what was wrong with the old plasticine system! It’s much easier to scale down for grassroots competitions, as I can’t imagine that many small clubs have access to the high-tech laser equipment.
Q Commonwealth Games; where’s your head at? How do you feel about the Midlands hosting?
JS I’m so excited! Competing in Glasgow in 2014 felt like I was at home, so I can’t imagine how much better it’s going to feel, actually being a stone’s throw away from where I grew up. Birmingham also holds a special place in my heart as I have jumped personal bests at the old Alexander Stadium, and always find the crowd there to be one of the best in the entire world – I can’t wait to get in the new stadium. But if I don’t get a chance to try out the track before the games, that won’t phase me; I love entering stadiums for the first time on the day of competition; it adds an element of excitement and elevates the experience. It gets me into a mindset where I can produce a special performance.
Photo (right) courtesy of Jazmin Sawyers
I have jumped personal bests at the old Alexander Stadium many times in my career, and always find the crowd there to be one of the best in the entire world – I can’t wait to get in the new stadium.
Q What makes a sporting venue special? Can a home crowd be an extra weight as well as a morale boost?
JS Personally, the physical proximity to the crowd can make a huge difference in how much I enjoy a stadium – when the long jump pit is positioned outside of the track and stands aren’t set back too far, I feel like I’m experiencing the whole event with the crowd. I can see how some may see the home crowd as an extra weight, as it does come with added pressure but, for me, it’s nothing but a boost. I feel like I have thousands of people on my side; it really feels like everyone in the stands wants you to do well when you’re at home. High-pressure situations are my favourite. Often my best performances come at crucial competition moments; when I’m at risk of being eliminated or in the final round at my last possible opportunity. The extra pressure of a home crowd really just spurs me on.
Q What do you look for when you arrive at a competition location? What’s your optimum performance space?
JS A sizeable warm-up location is the most important factor for me. When I’m fighting for space with hurdlers and sprinters, I’m usually going to lose, and a good warm-up can be the difference between a sub-par performance and a personal best. When it comes to the field of play, it’s good to have a space next to the competition runway to do sprints and stay warm, as well as a sheltered area for the athlete to leave their things nearby.
Q What makes a fast track?
JS The surface used is the primary factor but also how the stadium is built – to allow wind in, or not. While they can result in fast times, very open tracks can be extremely windy to the point where records can’t be ratified, or headwinds impair performance drastically. For me, a hard surface is preferable for a long jump runway, which most sprinters would agree with when looking for fast times.
Q Which facilities are your favourite and how does the built environment influence training?
JS The old Alexander Stadium was actually one of my favourite venues in the world to compete in. I liked the surface, it was easily fast enough, and the proximity to the crowd made it such a fun place to compete as I felt like I could involve the spectators all the way through the event and we would compete together. For training, I prefer a softer surface to protect my body as hard surfaces can result in more injuries. The best places to train are those where everything is nearby – at Loughborough University the track, gym, long jump pit and plyometrics mat are in the same area so I’m able to do all parts of my session without interruption.
Equally, having somewhere to take breaks in between tough sessions can make a venue much more enjoyable to train in. Something as simple as artwork or photographs of successful athletes in a training venue can make a difference to how a session goes – there are many days when finding motivation can be hard. When you’re months out from any major championships and you’re already sore and tired, you can forget why you’re doing what you’re doing. Having reminders can be the push you need to keep going.
Sport is real, and the emotions you see, the drama that plays out and the rivalry between competitors is exactly as it appears on TV.
Q When it comes to ‘cheat meals’, does Midlands delicacy the battered chip ever feature?
JS I’ve never tried it! If someone has a recommendation for where to get the best version after the Commonwealths, please get in touch…
Q As the region’s new sporting centre, and likely home of Aston Villa Ladies, the Alexander Stadium will be a hub for nurturing the talent pipeline in women’s sport. How do you feel this is being managed in athletics?
JS British athletics is doing a great job with the Futures Programme – I was part of this pipeline and it helped prepare me for a senior career, though I’d love to see more support for athletes outside of training and competing. At the moment we have to learn on the go about how shoe contracts and agents work. I’d love to see more education on that so that we’re not thrown into the deep end but know what to expect and how to manage our sporting careers as businesses.
My success in sport isn’t the only thing my happiness and identity are riding on. It’s dangerous to have your identity wrapped up in only one thing.
Photo courtesy of Jazmin Sawyers
Q World Athletics has said it is on track to have a 50:50 gender split on the World Athletics Council by 2027, promising leadership roles to women as part of its #WeGrowAthletics campaign. Where should we see meaningful change demonstrated next?
JS I would love to see them become more open to contribution from the Athletics Association so that athletes have a say in the way our sport is run. I’d also love to see their support with groups such as Tirop’s Angels and The Women’s Athletics Alliance (I sit on the board for the latter) to ensure that tragedies, such as Agnes Tirop’s murder, aren’t repeated. Also that young female athletes in East Africa are able to access education on how they can control their careers independently, and the warning signs that suggest they may be being exploited or abused by coaches or others in positions of power.
Q How have you been encouraging young women in terms of sporting outreach?
JS My trip with [development charity] Right To Play was a wonderful insight into the fantastic work they’re doing in Tanzania, and across the world, to make sure girls have access to sport and education. Their model focuses on training teachers and community members locally to educate their students through games. Children learn so well through play. Lots of the children I met didn’t realise how much they were learning, but they were being taught fundamental skills with regard to health, safeguarding and more traditional subjects of maths and English. The programmes have helped to keep so many girls in school in areas where they may have been withdrawn by their families before they even turned 13. On a personal level, I try to encourage and uplift the young women I come across in my own life. I get messages from young female athletes and try to respond to every one. I know I’d have appreciated the perspective of a professional athlete when I was younger, and sometimes a word of encouragement is all you really need.
Q Sport, law, music, broadcasting: you’ve made sure to diversify in terms of the spaces you occupy. Why is this important to you?
JS For some people, focusing all their energy on their main goal is the best way to achieve success, but that’s never worked for me. I perform best when I’m happy and I’m happiest when I have lots going on. It helps to have things that force me to stop thinking about athletics, as sport can be all consuming, especially when it means so much. Having other interests and hobbies means I can’t sit at home brooding over one bad result or training session because I have more to be getting on with. It also means my success in sport isn’t the only thing my happiness and identity are riding on. It’s dangerous to have your identity wrapped up in only one thing – if you lose it, because of something in or out of your control, you lose a sense of who you are. Make sure you’re doing something every week for you as a person, not just you as an athlete/artist/whatever you do the most of.
All photos (below) courtesy of Jazmin Sawyers
Q What have you learned about overcoming the labels society places on us?
JS I’ve come to accept that people are always going to label you and you generally can’t stop them. My mantra for this is ‘what other people think of me is none of my business’. The labels others place upon me aren’t necessarily true, and I have an idea of who I want to be and try to act in a way that lives up to that person.
Q What did it mean to become British champion during the difficult times of the pandemic?
JS A lot, especially in 2020 – I’d spent the majority of the time leading up to the championships training completely alone. My discipline had never been tested as much as it was during the early stages of the pandemic – the Olympics had been cancelled, there were no major competitions to be preparing for and there was nobody around to check if I’d been doing the work. I knew the work I was doing wasn’t going to be of much use until late 2021, and trying to motivate myself to work for something over a year in the future was harder than I’d anticipated, but I didn’t miss a single session. I learned a lot about myself and realised that I can be more disciplined than I imagined. I always thought I was the kind of athlete that absolutely needed accountability, and for somebody to be alongside me, encouraging me, in order to be truly successful, but I found out, when that option wasn’t there, that I can do a lot myself.
Q What did you learn from being on ‘The Voice’, and being active in two different competitive arenas simultaneously?
JS How manufactured almost every scenario is. The difference is huge – sport is real, and the emotions you see, the drama that plays out and the rivalry between competitors is exactly as it appears on TV. The Voice was... less like that. Producers would decide who they wanted to be rivals; they’d ask you to display some emotions more than others and have the contestants film takes over and over if they didn’t look dramatic enough. Sport is a more pure form of entertainment, and true competition. I enjoyed The Voice – it was an insight into an industry I knew nothing about – but it didn’t feel like a competition in the way that sport does.
Q What was the best thing about working with Will.I.Am?
JS It was an honour to work with such an accomplished, talented individual. Given all the things he’s achieved, getting to work through a song with Will.I.Am was special. When I was eliminated, Will stood up to give me a hug and said to me quietly; “you’re not mad at me, are you?” as though I could have the authority to question his choice! It was a great experience; one I’ll never forget.
Q We imagine your future goals are typically wide-ranging; what’s next?
JS Medals. I have a European and Commonwealth silver. I’d like to upgrade those to gold and add some silverware from global championships. I want to further the work that the Women’s Athletic Alliance hopes to do – provide access to education for young female runners in East Africa and ensure they’re not only safe but thriving in the sport. Coming from Stoke, I’d also love to guest-host an episode of The Great Pottery Throw Down, and record an EP and perform it at one of the Stoke venues I loved to attend as a teenager.