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Olympic Long Jumper Brittney Reese Shares Her Training Playlist With Us

Brittney Reese
Brittney Reese

After Brittney Reese won gold in the long jump at the London Olympics in 2012, she was on top of the world. But in the years following, she faced many struggles.

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The two-time Olympian has since found herself struggling with depression and the aftermath of her 2014 hip surgery that caused her to consider retiring from the sport when recovery got difficult and she wasn’t sure she could get back to top shape.

“Retiring was not an option because I have more left in the tank,” Reese, 29, tells Us Weekly. “I felt I wasn’t done reaching my goals. I have been chasing my goals of breaking the American and world record, and didn’t want to give up on them.”

Crediting her “mental coach” for helping her overcome depression, Reese made a strong comeback and qualified for her third Olympics earlier this month in Eugene, Oregon.

As she prepares to defend her title, she shares with Us the songs on her playlist — which she listens to through her JLab Audio Earbuds — that pump her up.

“Big Rings,” by Drake: “This is my jam because the song symbolizes the five Olympic rings to me.”

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“Jumpman,” by Drake and Future: “As a long jumper, obviously a song like ‘Jumpman’ is going to be personal to me.”

“New Level,” by ASAP Ferg: “As someone who has several records and who is looking to break the world record, this song epitomizes my mind-set. I’m on a whole new level.”

“On My Grind,” by Tunji Ige: “I stay on my grind all the time, whether on the track or off.”

Brittney Reese
Brittney Reese performs in the women’s long jump final during the 2016 U.S. Olympic Track & Field Team Trials at Hayward Field on July 2, 2016, in Eugene, Oregon.

“Summer Sixteen,” by Drake: “With 2016 being the Olympic year, ‘Summer Sixteen’ is basically my theme song because I want to own this summer.”

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“All the Way Up,” by Fat Joe: “This is just a hot song that gets me hyped. I love Remy Ma’s verse.”

“I’m the Man,” by 50 Cent: “50 Cent is a beast on a track, and my nickname is ‘The Beast.’”

“That Part,” by Schoolboy Q: “This is a bangin’ beat, and Schoolboy Q is a dope rapper. I really dig his voice.”

The Rio Olympics begin August 5 and will be streamed live on NBCOlympics.com and on the NBC Sports app. The Rio Paralympics begin September 7 and will be streamed live on TeamUSA.org.

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