Taylor has admitted dropping his focus on the world record of Jonathan Edwards has made him more relaxed. “I had an obsession with the world record for a long time,” he said on Thursday. “There used to be this voice inside my head that kept saying 18.29 (the world record distance). I don’t have that any more. I found more peace of mind.
“My attitude has changed, there’s less pressure than before. I say to myself jumping the world record is not impossible. If it comes, it comes. I stay positive. Jumping a meeting record is nice too and so is taking a medal. That attitude gives me a relaxed feeling, inner peace."
Taylor is truly an international citizen. His partner is the Austrian hurdle specialist Beate Schrott, a 2012 Olympic finalist. He shares his time in Europe between Vienna and Arnhem, in the Netherlands, the home of his British coach. What better place to go for a big performance than in Brussels, the capital of Europe, at a meeting traditionally attended by a lot of Dutch people. “Competing at the Memorial is always special,” Taylor agreed. “The atmosphere is amazing and as an athlete I always try and consciously enjoy that. I want to jump with a smile."
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