Brave performances from Olympians Jazmin Sawyers and Lynsey Sharp
Two law degree-holding members of Team Great Britain (GB) have missed out on this year’s record Rio de Janeiro Olympics medal haul, despite reaching the finals of their events.
Jazmin Sawyers (pictured top left), who finished her law degree at the University of Bristol earlier this summer, is a long jump specialist.
Having made it through to the women’s final last week with a qualifying jump of 6.53 meters, Sawyers — who spoke exclusively to Legal Cheek last month before boarding a flight to Brazil — eventually finished eighth with an impressive leap of 6.69 metres. The USA’s Tianna Bartoletta went on to land gold with a huge jump of 7.17 metres.
Mixed emotions coming 8th in the Olympic final. So proud to have made it so far, so disappointed not to go further! pic.twitter.com/P5zdJSiCJS
— Jazmin Sawyers (@JazminJayne) August 18, 2016
The 22-year-old, who secured a place on Legal Cheek’s influential aspiring lawyers list earlier this year, can still hold her head high, despite failing to bag a medal.
Juggling a law degree alongside a rigorous training programme takes some serious effort. Plus, let’s face it, the legally-minded Olympian now has a great talking point when it comes to applying for training contracts — “So how did you spend your summer Miss Sawyers?”
Elsewhere in Rio, Lynsey Sharp (pictured top right) — an Edinburgh Napier University law graduate — was also in action, this time in the women’s 800 metres.
The 26-year-old, who graduated in 2012 — just weeks before she competed in the London Games — opted to study law after her father suffered a serious accident, resulting in a substantial legal claim.
Having successfully navigated round one with a time of two minutes, she went on to claim an impressive second place in the semi-final late last week. With everything poised for a thrilling final on Friday night, Sharp eventually finished a very respectable sixth, with a time of one minute 57 seconds. South Africa’s Caster Semenya took gold with a blistering time of one minute 55 seconds.
The part you don't see on TV! Midnight ice bath in the rain #Rio2016 pic.twitter.com/OwI4hramEM
— Lynsey Sharp (@LynseySharp) August 19, 2016
Other notable law graduates include Katherine Grainger. Completing a law degree at Edinburgh University before going to do her masters in medical law at Glasgow University, Grainger won silver in the women’s double sculls. She is now Great Britain’s most decorated female Olympian, with five medals.
As the Rio Olympics came to a close last night, Team GB celebrated a record medal haul. With 27 golds, 23 silvers and 17 bronzes, the impressive total of 67 narrowly surpasses the previous record of 65 achieved at the London 2012 games.
Congratulations to Team GB!