Jazmin Sawyers has won the women's long jump title at the Commonwealth Games, overcoming past major championship disappointments and a serious injury. The English athlete's best jump of 6.93m secured the gold medal, ahead of Nigeria's Ruth Usoro and Australia's Brooke BuschKuehl.
Sawyers' victory marks a significant achievement after a series of setbacks. She finished fourth at the previous Commonwealth Games in Birmingham four years ago, failed to qualify for the final at the 2023 World Championships, and was forced to miss the 2024 Olympics due to an Achilles tendon rupture. This injury required surgery and meant she was commentating for the BBC during the Paris Games instead of competing.
"It hasn't properly hit me how this is the thing I've been telling myself all the horrible bits are for," Sawyers stated after her win. "The feeling is overwhelming. I will do the horrible bits 100 times over, I'll do it and do it and do it. This is amazing."
Sawyers' journey has been closely linked with Glasgow, where she won a surprise silver medal at the 2014 Commonwealth Games, her first major championship. "Twelve years ago almost to the day, I won a silver here in Glasgow (2014 Commonwealth Games) at my first major championships," she recalled. "It was the start of my career and so sensational and I had the time of my life. I take that as one of the best moments of my entire career, but when you've done that there's only one thing to do which is to upgrade."
Following her gold medal performance, Sawyers will now prepare for the European Championships in Birmingham, which commence on August 10. The victory in Glasgow represents the culmination of her efforts to put past heartbreak and physical challenges behind her.