Olympic star Jasmine Moore gave up a very different career dream before Team USA

Jasmine Moore has soared into American Olympic record books as the first US woman to qualify for both the triple jump and long jump events.

At just 23, the athlete's aspirations have shifted remarkably from her initial dreams of NFL cheerleading fame to potentially bagging a pair of gold medals for her country.

Hailing from the Dallas-Forth Worth region of Texas , Moore's early engagement with gymnastics and competitive cheerleading laid the foundation for her athletic prowess .

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Now a seven-time NCAA champion, she is poised to leap towards Olympic glory , having made an unprecedented mark on Team USA's history.

"It was a goal to make both, but not a goal to be the first one," Moore shared, revealing that the historical significance of her achievement came as a surprise.

"It feels really good. It's kind of hard to do the double, but I've done it at every level , so I just continue to keep wanting to do both of them whenever it's possible."

Moore initially ventured into the triple jump, then expanded her skill set to the long jump, utilizing her remarkable jumping talent .

Choosing the University of Georgia was a strategic move influenced by the chance to train with Petros Kyprianou. The track record of UGA graduate and accomplished US triple and long jumper Keturah Orji beckoned her there.

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In 2021, Moore clinched victory in the triple jump at the SEC Outdoor Track and Field Championship, pushing past the Olympic standard with a personal best of 14.39m aiming for Tokyo's postponed Games.

She followed up with a bronze medal in the NCAA long jump and seized third place at the triple jump during the US Olympic Trials, securing her coveted spot at the Tokyo Olympics .

Moore's personal bests of 15.12 meters in triple jump and 7.03 meters in long jump are both within range of contention at the Olympics if she can provide her best on the day . Her preparation for both events has seen her focus on the more technical triple jump ahead of qualification on Saturday.

"I feel like triple jump is my baby," she said. " I feel like I have a lot of potential in that event . When it's going well, I enjoy it a little more but long jump is a lot of fun. You just get to fly in the air."

She'll be looking to book her place in the long jump final on August 8, the same evening that her reigning African and three-time NCAA champion boyfriend Joseph Fahnbulleh competes for Liberia in the men's 200 meters.

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"Making the long jump was a personal goal and triple jump was expected but it's like proving to myself that I can do anything I put my mind to ," Moore said. "If I have a goal, I can set it. If you want to do something, it is attainable ."

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