Jazmin Sawyers wins Commonwealth Games long jump gold

Team England athlete Jazmin Sawyers from Stoke-On-Trent wins the Gold Medall in Women's Long Jump, at the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games. <i>(Image: imagecomms/Richard Washbrooke)</i>
Team England athlete Jazmin Sawyers from Stoke-On-Trent wins the Gold Medall in Women's Long Jump, at the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games. (Image: imagecomms/Richard Washbrooke)
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Jazmin Sawyers finally has the outdoor athletics gold she's always dreamed of.

Eight years ago, the talented singer recorded Team England's anthem. Now she was at the top of the medals podium rather than the pop charts.

Sawyers upgraded the Commonwealth long jump silver she won 12 years ago in Glasgow, producing a best effort of 6.93m to secure the title with room to spare.

Injuries have long plagued the 32-year-old's career, with Sawyers spending 20 months on the sidelines after rupturing her Achilles in the build-up to the Paris Olympics.

She won the European indoor title three years ago but admitted this triumph went straight to the top of her achievements, 15 years after making her international debut.

"It hasn't properly hit me. This is the thing I've been telling myself all the horrible bits are for. The feeling is overwhelming," she said.

"I will do the horrible bits 100 times over. I'll do it and do it and do it to feel as amazing as this.

"I had to pull out of the British Championships and stop during the Diamond League because my body was telling me, 'No, you're not ready and you're going to hurt yourself.' For the first time in my career, I was protecting the major championships, and I think it worked."

Sawyers is one of the most popular members of the British athletics team, but there has always been a feeling her CV should include more major titles, with injuries repeatedly interrupting her preparations for the biggest events.

Perhaps the secret is that every major event needs to be staged in Glasgow.

"Almost 12 years to the day, I won silver here in Glasgow at my first major championships," she added.

"It was a shock silver and I've held Glasgow close to my heart ever since. I had the time of my life and there was only one thing to do, which was to upgrade."

Sawyers's talent isn't just limited to the long jump. She also won bobsleigh silver at the Winter Youth Olympics and showed off her singing talent on ITV's The Voice.

And she claimed this one was written in the Scottish stars.

"I was doing my run-throughs and I had a feeling... 'You will win,'" she added.

"Athletes always tell themselves they can win. It wasn't that, but it was a thought that I would win. I knew I was good enough and I knew I could compete. It settled me.

"I know I talk to myself a lot on the runway, but I promise it's not that inspiring. I was reminding myself to stay tall during the run-up and keep my take-off leg straight. I like giving myself clear directions and telling my body what to do!"

Thanks to National Lottery players, more than £33m is raised every week for good causes. It’s because of you that sport, arts, heritage and community projects, as well as our athletes competing at the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games, are supported across the UK.

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