Meet FRÉ Ambassador Jeannelle Scheper, Olympic high jumper.

@jeannellescheper

About me: I was born in Jamaica and lived in five different countries by the time I was 16. At the end of 2018, I decided to get back to my roots and move to the Netherlands, where I now train daily, with the goal of making it to as many Olympic Games as my body will let me.

Skincare & Beauty

I used to suffer from bad acne and used prescription products. I would get acne on my back from sweating. I tried pretty much every product out there, and when FRÉ reached out, I thought it would be just another product that didn’t work for me, but FRÉ was the most positive skincare experience I’ve had with any company.

I love that the focus is on skin that sweats. Sweat is so important, and this is rarely reflected in skincare.

I’ve been using the products since 2016, and today my skin is clear.

Daily skincare routine

When I wake up, I wash my face with warm and then cold water; I don’t use any products at all. Next, I apply PROTECT ME and go to my practice session. When I get back, I wash my face with PURIFY ME, and then reapply PROTECT ME. At night, after I shower, I put on RECOVER ME—it’s my favorite FRÉ product. I love how it feels, and it moisturizes without being oily.

Beauty routine

I make my own body moisturizer, although I do it less now because I usually use FRÉ’s GLOW BODY. I melt beeswax, then add coconut oil followed by some almond oil and a few drops of essential oils. It’s quite heavy, so I only use this once a week.

THE OLYMPICS

Competing in 2016

My Olympic experience was incredible. Many times I thought, “Wow, this is what I’ve been dreaming about for so long.” The actual competition went by so quickly. Overall, it was the experience of a lifetime. A couple of my really good friends also qualified at the same time, so I got to be in the Olympic Village with some of my favorite people in the world.

Overcoming Injuries

The following year, 2017, was a really tough year for me. I had injured my ankle and had several bone bruises that required cortisone injections. I also injured my back and had to have an epidural.

I was in a permanent state of anxiety, feeling that others were training and I needed to catch up. But it forced me to reckon with these feelings, think things through, and realize that my body needed to rest and heal.

Ultimately, it made me more respectful of my body. When I was first a student athlete at age 16, I could do anything and not really feel it or get injured, but by 2017, I was older and my body was older, too. This was a hard lesson for me to accept, but an important one.

Tokyo 2021

The pandemic started right at the end of the indoor track and field season, which is when most people would go to training camps to prepare for the outdoor season. We were planning a camp in South Africa, but of course, everything had to be canceled. All this uncertainty during the outdoor track and field season means there are fewer chances to qualify for Tokyo. Right now, we don’t know for sure what will happen; there might be competitions in August. The most important thing now is getting the opportunity to qualify.

WELLNESS TIPS

Fitness tip

My biggest mantra is “something is always better than nothing.” Since I’m an athlete for a living, during a rest period I either get really anxious or completely switch off and go on vacation. Neither extreme is healthy. The best thing is to move a little. A bit of stretching, yoga, or core work to feel good is great; you don’t have to make huge strides every day.

Cooking tip

The latest cooking tip I’ve discovered for myself is about prep work. When you’re in the mood to cook, take advantage of it for the times you don’t feel like it. In the morning, I’m in the mood for cooking, so I chop vegetables and get things ready for lunchtime, when I’m at my busiest and don’t have time to prep food.

Nutrition Tip

I try to keep my fridge stocked to the max with fruit and vegetables: they are so nutritionally dense. I like volume and a lot of food. I hate the feeling of not having enough food on my plate, so I try to choose foods I can eat in large quantities!

Resilience tips

• Try to surround yourself with like-minded people or people doing similar things, and follow social media accounts on the same topic.
• Being motivated by others really helps. When I feel least motivated, it helps that my boyfriend is also an athlete, so we plan workouts and do them together.
• I spend a lot of time on social media, and it’s nice to see my competitors, my friends, and positive fitness influencers talking about topics like health, wellness, and nutrition.

Rapid Fire:

• Favorite exercise? Squats
• What does sweat mean to you? Release
• What comes to mind when you think of FRÉ? Community
• What are you most excited about in life right now? Tokyo 2021
• What’s something you’d still love to learn? Nutrition science
• If you were a hashtag, what would you be? #sportychef
• What is your mantra? Always do something
• What’s the best advice that you’ve ever received in your life? Don’t identify with your emotions
• What is an issue that you wish we spoke about more often? In my sport, eating disorders and body image
• What does women’s empowerment mean in 2020? For me, it means continuing to break down any barriers or ideas about what women need to be or should be, and creating your own ideas instead.
• What are your dreams for the FRÉ community? I’m looking forward to seeing it continue to grow—there’s so much more potential, and I get so much from this community.