Jazmin Sawyers disappointed with Commonwealth Games performance
This time there was to be no miraculous silver medal for Jazmin Sawyers, and the long-jumper admitted she was lucky even to finish seventh in a disappointing Commonwealth final.
The 24-year-old, who surprised many in taking silver at Glasgow 2014, has struggled for form and fitness since making the Olympic final at Rio 2016.
But after uprooting to Florida, Sawyers arrived in the Gold Coast hoping to pick up the pieces and challenge on the world stage again.
However, she could only manage a best effort of 6.35m in the Carrara Stadium on Thursday, shorter even than she had managed in qualifying the day before.
And there were few positives to be found – except for her teammate Shara Proctor’s bronze.
“I am gutted, I jumped further yesterday for one thing – you should never do that – that’s not professional and doesn’t show competitiveness,” she said.
“It is great to be out here but I didn’t jump well, I got lucky to make the top eight to be honest.
“I was sitting there wondering if someone would come past and I got lucky they didn’t. It was not good enough.
“I am really happy for Shara who jumped really well and it’s always nice to see an English flag on the podium.
“But I cannot be happy with that, I don’t think I would be doing myself justice, or the selectors that picked me justice if I said I was happy with that performance.
“My coach and I have been working together for a few months really so it will take time to all piece together perfectly.
“But you can’t help but hope something magic will happen at a Championship, like four years ago.”
It was better news in the shot put as Stourbridge’s Rachel Wallader qualified for the final with ease with a throw of 17.20m.
And the 28-year-old, who finished fourth at Glasgow 2014, is hoping she can go one better here on the Gold Coast.
“Ideally I would have got it done on the first throw but it just took a couple to get it going. But overall I’m happy with that,” she said.
“I’m in the final and there are a lot of girls throwing around a similar level so it will be fascinating. “Myself and Sophie (McKinna) both have our eyes set on throwing plus 18m so we will see what happens.
“In the last two weeks I’ve had my best sessions in about two years. I’m feeling really positive ahead of the final.”
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