At a time when many are looking forward to sinking their teeth into turkey, ham and cassava pie during the festive season, professional long jumper Arantxa King is preparing herself for what she hopes will be a “breakout” year in 2014.

“Next year I’m really focused on being more extreme and competitive in meets, regardless of the externals outside of my control,” she said.

“I believe I have the potential to really have a breakout year if I have more faith in my competitive abilities.”

The veteran of two Olympic Games will represent Bermuda at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow and the Central American and Caribbean Games in Veracruz, Mexico.

King could also make her debut at the World Indoor Championships in Sopot, Poland, in March but needs to meet the qualifying standard.

The 23-year-old, who made the complex transition from amateur to professional after narrowly missing out on a place in the final of the women’s long jump at the London Olympics last year, is satisfied with her preparations for the upcoming season.

“Preparations are going great,” she said. “I’m just working on getting stronger and faster, and laying down a good foundation for this long indoor and outdoor season.

“Physically, I feel great. I do think I have more work to do to get where I need to be, but I’m in the right place at the right time.”

King, who also helps coach track and field at the University of Kentucky, has yet to confirm her full schedule for 2014.

“My competition is very tentative at this point,” she said. “I am still in the process of working out my schedule and I should have a more concrete plans by the end of this month.

“I do plan to do some local meets, as our university is hosting two elite meets and perhaps one or two overseas. I’ve already been offered the opportunity to compete in Glasgow at the Commonwealth Games.”

Last season proved to be a steep learning curve for King, the daughter of former track and field star Branwen Smith-King and Adrian King, the former Bermuda cricketer.

By her own admission, the Stanford University graduate failed to fulfil some of the goals that she had set herself in her first season as a professional.

“I wanted to jump a bit farther and I didn’t achieve all the goals I wanted to,” she said.

“I had all the tools last year to jump far, but my meets just could not come together.”