Jazmin Sawyers
Commonwealth silver medallist Jazmin Sawyers has a busy couple of weeks in store: first there are this weekend's British champs in Birmingham, and next week she jets out for the European U23s in Tallinn, Estonia. She tells SPIKES about her life of lyricism away from the long jump.
New discovery
Jazmin Sawyers has always been sporty. Her school PE teacher gave her the nickname ‘frogs legs’ after her first go at the long jump.
Her musical talent, however, is something that lay dormant until recently.
“I’ve been playing guitar for two years,” the 21-year-old says. “I took it up because I needed something to do, and I saw a guitar in a charity shop window and I thought ‘you know what I’m going to buy it and teach myself’.”
Annoying housemate
Sawyers, who won a world junior long jump bronze medal in 2012, describes her musical style as “cutesy acoustic guitar stuff”. She plays plenty of gigs and hopes to release an EP and album at some stage in the future.
In the meantime, courteous Sawyers says practising her shredding skills while on the athletics circuit is a no-no.
“I can’t play guitar because it would annoy my roommates,” she says. “The guitar doesn’t come with me!
“I practice during down time at university [she is studying law and criminology at the University of Bristol] and annoy my housemates instead!”
Positive outlet
Rather than being something that directly relates to her jumping performances, Sawyers says that music provides a way for her to switch off from the sporting side of her life.
“I think it enables you to get away from it,” she says. “It’s so different. [Jumping] is so objective. If I’m going to jump in the sand and jump 6.34m [as she did to win the at the Great Manchester City Games on the day SPIKES spoke to Sawyers] you can’t argue with that.
“Whereas if I play a gig, half the people in the room could hate it and half love it. Having that contrast is nice and it gets you away from the sport.”
Needless to say, we'd be in the half of the room that loves it.
In 2012, Sawyers scooped world junior bronze in the long jump (alongside British teammate KJT, who took gold) as well as bagging Winter Youth Olympic silver in the bobsleigh. Nice!
Smooth FM
Sawyers says the biggest inspiration in life is her mum (cute!). But when it comes to music, the person that inspires her the most is English folk and soul singer Lianne La Havas. She likes her so much, in fact, that the only comparison she can find is to a bar of sweet, sweet chocolate.
“Her music is incredible and she plays the guitar so beautifully,” she says. “Her voice sounds like galaxy chocolate!”
Other brands of chocolate are available.
Stars in her eyes
The best gig that she can remember going to was that of Jarrow-based band the Little Comets.
“They’re really fun,” she says. “They string up kitchen items on the stage and play them while they’re going. It’s probably not something I’d do! I reckon I could do it! I could make it work!”
When asked who would headline her dream gig, Sawyers answers without a moment’s hesitation.
“Beyoncé! Why? Because she’s Beyoncé!” That's not a logic we can really argue with.