Ranked fourth before her final leap at the World Athletics Ultimate Championship in Budapest, Sawyers produced a jump of 6.78m to move up to second – and a $75,000 prize
In the space of one jump, Jazmin Sawyers secured life-changing money that will transform her Olympic ambitions and allow her to upgrade her sewing machine to boot.
Ranked fourth before her final leap at the World Athletics Ultimate Championship in Budapest, Sawyers produced a jump of 6.78m to move up to second. With it came a $75,000 prize, a full $50,000 more solely thanks to that final jump, and two years out from LA, it is the sort of windfall that will take away all the worries about how the 32-year-old will prepare for those Games.
And while Sawyers has never been able to motivate herself through money, she recognises just how much this sort of financial reward can help her in future.
She said: “That’s so much more than I’ve ever won long jumping before in my life. It’s crazy to think about. It’s really cool that that sort of prize money is on offer for athletes. I’m really grateful to be a part of it. This really will make a difference.
“It’s not a case of ‘this is amazing and now I can buy an expensive handbag that I want’. It means that I’m sure now that I will be able to train as a full-time athlete. I don’t know how people see professional track and field. Some people are really comfortable, some people are making a ‘normal’ living but prize money like this is a big sigh of a relief.
“I am going to buy something, I’m going to upgrade my sewing machine but aside from that, I’m just so excited to know that there won’t be a scramble to make sure I can train the way I want to be able to train for the next two years. I’ve spoken to my sports psych about this before, I can’t motivate myself with winning money, it doesn’t do anything, I’ve tried it and tried it and tried it. After the fact, it feels pretty nice because that can make a huge difference in how I can train.
“I don’t know what support I’ll have sponsor-wise after this year, hopefully I will in the lead-up to the Olympics, but you just don’t know. What I do know now is that I’ve made it a lot easier for myself by coming second.”
Sawyers missed the last Olympics in Paris after rupturing her Achilles tendon three months out from the Games. That saw her sidelined for approximately 20 months but she has enjoyed a brilliant comeback this season, winning Commonwealth gold and European silver before this World Ultimate second place.
And while there was still a hint of disappointment and not walking away an Ultimate champion, she intends to use the experience going forward.
“I’m so chuffed,” added Sawyers, who took some of the pink sand used in the event away with her as a souvenir. “There is still a slight air of disappointment that I didn’t find a bit more and win it, but I think the way I was jumping, to find that in the final round feels like the kind of competitor I want to be. I hope that in the future I’ve got more to give and that can take me to a win. But I think to be able to do that when I was really struggling, I’m really pleased. And it was fun to do it in that dramatic way.
“Earlier in the year, I was ranked in the 30s in the world so to have made it here, where only the top eight get to come – not through all nice things, some people have unfortunately had injuries – but to end up here and then finish second, I think that’s a great result for the year.”
Novuna is the Official Finance Partner of British Athletics and proud sponsor of the GB & NI Athletics Team. Find out more at www.novuna.co.uk