Tessa Sanderson facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Tessa Sanderson
CBE

Sanderson in 2008
Personal information
Full name	Theresa Ione Sanderson
Nationality	British
Born	(1956-03-14) 14 March 1956 (age 69) St Elizabeth, Colony of Jamaica
Years active	1973–1997
Sport
Sport	Athletics
Event(s)	Javelin throw
Achievements and titles
Personal best(s)	73.58 m (241.4 ft) (1983)
Medal record Women's Athletics Representing  Great Britain Olympic Games Gold 1984 Los Angeles Javelin European Championships Silver 1978 Prague Javelin Representing  England Commonwealth Games Gold 1978 Edmonton Javelin Gold 1986 Edinburgh Javelin Gold 1990 Auckland Javelin

Tessa Sanderson (born March 14, 1956) is a famous British athlete. She was a javelin thrower. She competed in an amazing six Olympic Games from 1976 to 1996. She won a gold medal in javelin throw at the 1984 Olympics. She was one of the first track and field athletes to go to six Olympics. She was also the first Black British woman to win an Olympic gold medal.

Tessa won gold medals in javelin at three Commonwealth Games (1978, 1986, and 1990). She also won gold at the 1992 IAAF World Cup. She came second at the 1978 European Athletics Championships. She competed in three world championships. Tessa was the UK National Champion three times. She was also the AAA National Champion ten times. She set many records in javelin, including five Commonwealth records and ten British records. During her career, she had a friendly rivalry with fellow British athlete Fatima Whitbread. Fatima won the bronze medal at the 1984 Olympics.

Outside of sports, Tessa has appeared on TV shows. She was a sports reporter for Sky News when it started in 1989. She was given special awards by the Queen for her achievements. She was a leader at Sport England from 1999 to 2005. Later, she started the Tessa Sanderson Foundation and Academy. This group helps young people and those with disabilities get involved in sports.

Early Life and Beginnings

Tessa Sanderson was born on March 14, 1956, in St Elizabeth, Jamaica. When she was five, her parents moved to England for work. Tessa stayed with her grandmother until she was six. Then she joined her parents in Wednesfield, England.

Her physical education teacher, Barbara Richards, saw Tessa's talent for sports. She encouraged Tessa to train hard. Tessa later said that her teacher's strict but helpful approach made a difference. Tessa first threw a javelin when she was 14. She made a bet with a friend for a bag of chips to see who could throw it furthest!

Tessa's Amazing Athletics Career

Starting Out in Sports

Tessa was a member of the Wolverhampton & Bilston Athletics Club. She competed in javelin throw and other multi-event sports. In 1972, at age 16, Tessa won a javelin event at the English Schools' Athletics Championships. The next year, she competed in the 1973 European Athletics Junior Championships. She reached the final but finished 12th.

After this, Tessa decided to focus only on javelin. She thought it would give her more chances to travel. She made her first big international appearance in 1974. She finished fifth at the British Commonwealth Games. Later that year, she finished 13th at the European Athletics Championships. Tessa broke the British junior javelin record five times. She set a national record in 1976. She went on to set ten national records and five Commonwealth records.

Ruth Fuchs was a world-record holder when Tessa made a very long javelin throw.

In 1976, Tessa made her Olympic debut. She was 20 years old and the youngest in her event. She finished ninth. In 1977, she threw a national record distance. It was the second-longest throw by a woman at that time. She won a silver medal at the European Cup finals. Later that year, she won a bronze medal at the 1977 IAAF World Cup.

Winning Gold Medals

Tessa won her first major gold medal at the 1978 Commonwealth Games. This was the first time England had won gold in women's javelin since 1962. A few weeks later, Tessa won silver at the 1978 European Athletics Championships. She won bronze at the 1979 European Cup. At the 1980 Summer Olympics, she did not make the final.

After the 1980 Olympics, Tessa asked Wilf Paish to be her coach. She even lived with his family. In 1981, Tessa won gold at the Pacific Conference Games. She also came second at the European Cup. She set UK and Commonwealth records for the heptathlon (a seven-event competition) twice in 1981. Later that year, Tessa had a serious leg injury and broke a bone in her throwing arm. These injuries stopped her from competing for 22 months.

After recovering, Tessa made her best javelin throw ever in 1983. It was one of the longest throws by a woman at that time. She finished fourth at the 1983 World Championships. Another British competitor, Fatima Whitbread, won silver. Tessa then had more surgery on her legs.

Olympic Gold and Beyond

Tessa won the gold medal at the 1984 Summer Olympics in javelin. She set a new Olympic record with her throw! Fatima Whitbread won the bronze medal. This was Great Britain's first Olympic win in a throwing event since 1896. Tessa Sanderson became the first Black British woman to win an Olympic gold medal.

After her Olympic win, Tessa continued to compete. She won gold at the 1986 Commonwealth Games in Edinburgh. Fatima Whitbread took the silver medal.

In 1987, Tessa said she would focus on the heptathlon. She also started looking for work in television. She competed in one heptathlon. Later that year, Fatima Whitbread injured her shoulder. Tessa won that event. Tessa finished fourth at the world championships that year.

Before the 1988 Summer Olympics, Tessa injured her ankle. She did not qualify for the final. She left the competition limping.

Tessa said she would retire after the 1988 Olympics. But she made a surprise return in 1989. She finished third at two events. At the 1990 Commonwealth Games, Tessa won her title again. She finished 11th at the 1990 European Athletics Championships. In 1991, at age 35, Tessa won the European Cup. She even beat the world-record holder!

Her fifth Olympic Games appearance, at the 1992 Summer Olympics, set a record for British athletes. She finished fourth. She won gold at the 1992 World Cup.

Friendly Rivalry with Fatima Whitbread

Fatima Whitbread, whose friendly rivalry with Tessa was often talked about in the British news.

Tessa Sanderson and Fatima Whitbread had a famous friendly rivalry in British sport. It lasted for almost ten years. Some people thought Fatima got special treatment from the British Amateur Athletic Board. Fatima's coach was also a national coach for women's javelin. In 1987, Tessa felt she was not being paid fairly compared to Fatima. She threatened to stop competing. But she agreed to a new deal.

During their careers, Tessa won an Olympic gold and three Commonwealth golds. Fatima won one world title and one European title. Tessa placed higher in 27 out of 45 times they competed against each other. In 2019, Tessa said that the rivalry made her want to train harder. She said it pushed her to another level. She respects Fatima and hopes Fatima respects her too.

Returning to Competition

After four years away, Tessa returned to sports in 1996. She set new records for athletes over 40 years old. She kept increasing the record with her throws. At the 1996 Summer Olympics, she became only the second track and field athlete to compete at six Olympics. However, she did not qualify for the final. Tessa also did not qualify for the final at the 1997 World Championships. This was her last international appearance. Tessa retired from competing in 1997. Fatima Whitbread had retired five years earlier.

Life Outside of Sports

Tessa has appeared on many television shows. These include game shows like A Question of Sport and Bullseye. When Sky News started in 1989, Tessa was a sports reporter. She also co-hosted a TV show called Surprise Surprise. In 2012, she was in an episode of the soap opera EastEnders. She also competed on Dancing on Ice Goes Gold. At age 58, she started modelling!

Tessa was a leader at Sport England from 1999 to 2005. In 2006, she started an academy in Newham. This academy helped find and train athletes for the 2012 Summer Olympics. The Tessa Sanderson Foundation and Academy began in 2009. It helps young people and those with disabilities get into sports. It offers them support and guidance.

From 2009 to 2013, Tessa organized a yearly 10 km race in Newham. Part of the race went through the Olympic Park. The event was very popular. Tessa was also part of the board that managed the Olympic Park after the 2012 Olympics.

Awards and Recognition

Fence in Sanderson Park, named after Tessa Sanderson.

Tessa was named the British Athletics Writers' Association Athlete of the Year in 1977, 1978, and 1984. She was added to the England Athletics Hall of Fame in 2012. People vote for who gets into the Hall of Fame.

After winning her Olympic gold medal, Tessa was given a special award by the Queen in 1985. She received higher awards in 1998 for her charity work and in 2004 for her service to sport.

Tessa has received honorary degrees from universities. In 2004, she was named one of 100 Great Black Britons. This was after a BBC poll did not include any Black Britons. Later that year, she received a Lifetime Achievement award for sportswomen. A housing area in Wednesfield, where she first learned javelin, is named Sanderson Park after her. Two roads are also named after her in London.

Personal Life

Tessa has spoken about facing unfair treatment because she is a Black woman. She said she experienced racist language in school. She even received a racist letter after her 1984 Olympic gold medal. She told Sky Sports in 2020 that Black athletes had to fight their own battles back then. She is sad that there are still not enough Black, Asian, and minority people in sports leadership roles.

Tessa's autobiography, Tessa: My Life in Athletics, was published in 1986.

On May 3, 2010, Tessa married former judo Olympian Densign White. Their wedding was at St Paul's Cathedral in London. Her bridesmaids were fellow Olympic athletes Sharron Davies, Kelly Holmes, and Christine Ohuruogu. In 2013, Tessa and Densign started fostering four-month-old twins. They adopted them the next year when Tessa was 58. Her nephew, Dion Sanderson, is a footballer.

Career Statistics

Personal Bests

International Competitions

The table below shows Tessa's results when she represented Great Britain and England in international competitions.

"(q)" means she was in the qualifying round.

National Titles Won

• AAA Junior Championships (for under 17s): 1971 and 1972
• English Schools Champion: 1972 (intermediate) and 1973 (senior)
• British Schools International match: 1973
• English Commonwealth Games trials: 1973 and 1978
• British Olympic Games trials: 1976 and 1984
• 10 times AAA National Champion: 1975, 1976, 1977, 1979, 1980, 1985, 1989, 1990, 1992, 1996
• 3 times UK National Champion: 1977, 1978, 1997

Images for kids

• 

  Ruth Fuchs, who was the world-record holder when Sanderson made the second-longest javelin throw

• 

  Fatima Whitbread, whose rivalry with Sanderson was often written about in the British press

• 

  Fence in Sanderson Park

See also

In Spanish: Tessa Sanderson para niños

• Javelin throw at the Olympics
• List of athletes with the most appearances at Olympic Games
• List of Olympic medalists in athletics (women)
• List of Commonwealth Games medallists in athletics (women)
• List of European Athletics Championships medalists (women)
• List of javelin throwers