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TESSA SANDERSON Javelin, Heptathlon
BIRTH
Wednesday, 14th March 1956
PLACE OF BIRTH
St. Elizabeth, Jamaica
EVENT
Javelin, Heptathlon
CHAMPIONSHIP PERFORMANCES:
Olympics: 1984 Gold Javelin.
European: 1978 silver Javelin.
Commonwealth: 1978, 1986 & 1990 Gold Javelin.
By the end of the 1990's, Tessa Sanderson had established herself as a living legend in the world of international javelin throwing. Over a 17-year career in senior international competition, Sanderson had won one Olympic and three Commonwealth gold medals.
Tessa had also been the dominant force amongst British javelin throwers for a decade, before the emergence of Fatima Whitbread, who eventually surpassed Sanderson's dominant role. However, by her sheer longevity at the top level, Sanderson outlasted Whitbread, who retired in June 1990, resulting in Sanderson, at the age of 34, once again finding herself as Britain's premier javelin thrower. In 1991, despite easily heading the UK annual list with her 65.18m victory at the European Cup on 29 June, Sanderson had to withdraw from the World Championships at Tokyo in August due to a back injury. Instead of starting to slow down, Sanderson's career seemed to accelerate in 1992, the year in which she won her ninth WAAA javelin title. In her fifth Olympic Games in Barcelona, on 1 August, Sanderson briefly took the lead with her first attempt of 63.58m, but was unable to improve upon this effort, which eventually earned her fourth place. She followed this with a victory at the World Cup in Havana, her final competition before retiring to pursue a career in television. Incredibly, Sanderson returned to competition in 1996 after a four-year absence, establishing a number of over-40 world bests throughout the season, while still remaining competitive in open competition. During the year she won her tenth and last WAAA title, but was eliminated in the qualifying round.
