Jazmin Sawyers was born in Stoke-on-Trent on 21 May 1994.
At the age of six, she watched Denise Lewis win heptathlon gold at the Sydney Olympics and decided there and then that she would dedicate her life to being an Olympian.
Initially, Jazz was a gymnast but at the age of ten she switched to athletics in the hope of boosting her chances of reaching the Games.
She won her first senior medal in long jump with silver at the Commonwealth Games in 2014 and backed that up with a European silver two years later.
In 2016, Jazz qualified for the Rio Olympics, where she finished eighth in the long jump final.
Outside of sport, she is a singer-songwriter and starred in series 6 of ITV talent show 'The Voice'.
In the latest of a new series on TeamGB.com, Jazz writes a letter to her 10-year-old full of lessons and candid reflections on the moments that made her who she is today.
Dear Jazz,
It’s a miracle you’ve put down that Denise Lewis autobiography for long enough to read something else. But don’t worry, you can go back to it in a minute.
Ever since you watched Denise win gold in Sydney, you’ve dreamed of being an Olympian. You were drawn by the colours and the crowds, the battle and the glory.
It doesn’t even matter what sport it is, any will do. Currently, you love gymnastics and when you’re older you’ll play netball and swim for the school team. But it’s athletics where you really fall in love, running fast and jumping high – just like Denise.
I know you hate losing and you'll be like that forever. Your cousin lets you win at everything because she knows you are a nightmare when you lose. But that determination and competitiveness will serve you well. Don't lose it.
The long jump will become your thing, and you'll be good at it. So good in fact, that you WILL make it to the Olympics.
August 16 2016 is the date, Rio de Janeiro the city. It seems a long time away now but I promise it will fly by, a rollercoaster of a ride that brings a Commonwealth Games medal, a university degree and even a go at bobsleigh.
Yep, you read that right…bobsleigh!
Don’t let your personality change when you get older Jazz, there’s nothing wrong with wanting to do other things.
Whether it’s music, acting, or trying a whole new sport, if there are new experiences to be had, new skills to learn and new opportunities to push yourself, be confident and do it. It always makes you a better person and a better athlete.
When you’re 16, British Bobsleigh will rock up at school, seeking new people to join and train for the Youth Winter Olympics. They want people who can run fast, jump high and are up for trying something different. You obviously say yes!
You’ll spend months training in Germany and Austria and really love it. It’ll be like you’re actually living out Cool Runnings!
Mum and Dad will worry you’ve taken on too much and teachers will fear for your grades. But what do you do? You go to Innsbruck and win a Youth Olympic silver medal – Team GB’s only medal. And you also get that university offer you want. That’s a big life lesson.
There is an option to commit to bobsleigh and drop athletics. But you can’t go to the Summer Olympics like Denise did if you do that. You’ll love bobsleigh, but it’s not in the plan. Rio is the plan.
It will get tough along the way. When an Olympics comes into view, most athletes at university put their studies on hold so they can dedicate themselves to prepare. But your friend Lawrence Clarke says YOU can handle both athletics and a law degree. At the same time.
It will be intense and stressful. You’ll sit there worrying whether you'll get good enough grades, worrying if all the studying will affect your form and damage your Olympic chances, worrying you've taken on too much, worrying about your mental health and worrying about how much you’re actually worrying.
But on that beautiful June day in Birmingham, you’ll nail a personal best, become British long jump champion, book your tickets to the Olympics and then sit in the car and open your exam results. You’ll pass. And that will make it all worth it.
Off to Rio you go. And Jazz, be proud of how you do at the Olympics. It’s the pinnacle, everything you’ve ever wanted. It might not go exactly to plan, but you’ll make the Olympic final and far outperform your world ranking. That is amazing.
We should also talk about music. Because there is a lot of music. When you’re a bit older at school, the pantos and shows will have to stop for a while because athletics training will ramp up. But it’s so important to keep those other passions.
You’ll even be on TV one day and your friend Dina will go with you to an audition for this big singing show on ITV that’s a bit like X-Factor. Simon Cowell won’t be there but you know the Black Eyed Peas? Well, one of the guys in the band – will.i.am – will be your coach when you get through to the next round. That’s pretty cool.
But athletics will always be your priority. There’s another Olympics coming up soon in Tokyo and you’ll throw everything into it. Singing and performing? There's time for that.
So keep dreaming Jazz and keep striving to be better. Stay competitive, stay inquisitive, stay confident, stay bold. It will serve you well.
Now, you can get back to your book.
Jazz.