by Stuart Weir
Jazmin Sawyers, photo by Getty Images / British Athletics
The women’s long jump was one of the key events in Manchester last weekend. This is the fifth piece by Stuart on the championships.
Abigail Inozaru, photo by Getty Images / British Athletics
The women’s long jump
The women’s long jump looked like 4 athletes for 3 places situation but on the day it was announced that Shara Proctor was still recovering from illness and had withdrawn. With Jazmin Sawyers, Lorraine Ugen, and Abigail Irozuru all having the Olympic standard, it looked quite straightforward with the first two taking the automatic qualification and the third finisher getting the discretionary position. With jumps of 6.53, 6,64 and 6.69 Irozuru took the early lead and held it, then in the fifth round, Sawyers found a 6.73 followed by a 6.75. Ugen could only manage 6.60 but with the 6.94 earlier this season she looks to have done enough to gain a third place for Tokyo.
The champion commented: “The whole point of British Champs this year was to get in top two and make sure you on the plane. You know you have the standard but you can’t guarantee anything until you have done that. It is nice to keep the title from last year and know I am off to the Olympics. That sounds so good! I like to keep the drama high. To improve each round is great but I wasn’t looking that good coming into round five but something in my head switched on. I always seem to leave it to the last minute”.
In 2017, Sawyers took the brave decision to relocate to the USA to work with Lance Brauman. This will be her second Olympics, having finished in eighth in Rio in 2016. Jazmin Sawyers incidentally is the only athlete who has ever canceled an interview with me because she had been asked to sing had a function! She is an almost professional standard singer and she did an interview the next day.
On twitter, Irozuru commented “I am going to Tokyo! I’m gonna be an Olympian!!!. It has taken me nine years. Am super disappointed to finish second, so never nice to lose”. In another tweaked she expressed thanks to Dan Pfaff and Aston Moore for their input to her development
