Levern Spencer

St Lucian high jump heroine Levern Spencer loves all things sweet, as long as they don't try cuddling her.

1. Baking is my passion

“I love snacks and maybe that is the reason why I’ve never jumped 2 metres. I love to be in the kitchen trying new things. I love cook books, recipe books and I like to bake – a lot.

“One of my favourite things is pancakes, but I also love fruit cake ­– the St Lucian variety with all types of fresh fruit and not just dried fruit like prunes and raisins.

“I like baking cookies, cakes and banana bread, although I would never eat a snack during a high jump competition, mainly because they don’t keep fresh for too long. My high jump rivals don’t know about my passion, but I just love to bake.”

2. I like to hike

“I’ve always been an outdoors kind of person. I’m not one to sit behind a desk all day. I am from the country and not the city. As kids we used to run in the woods, play cricket in the street or play in the river.

“I like to ride bikes, but I also like to hike. I love to climb the Pitons [two volcanic spires] and walk around the beautiful scenery in St Lucia. I don’t hike much during the season as it takes too much out of the body, and I don’t think my coach would approve, but I love the outdoor lifestyle and to be out in the fresh air.”

3. I'm not too keen on animals

“It may sound a little weird, but I pretty much don’t like any living creature touching me. I am not one of these people who likes to have their pets all over them. I don’t mind pets or animals around the house as long as they don’t touch me.

“I don’t like feeling the ribs of the animals. Like I said, I’m fine with the animal just being there, that doesn’t freak me out or scare me, I just don’t want them all over me.”

RE-READ: St Lucia’s secret to high jump success