TESSA HAS ETCHED her name in history as the first Black British woman to claim Olympic gold. Her triumph in the javelin event at the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics marked a significant milestone. With a career spanning over 26 years on the international circuit, she was a trailblazer and the first black British woman to win an Olympic Gold medal. Her indomitable spirit and skill led her to appear in every Summer Olympics from 1976 to 1996, and she proudly secured three Commonwealth Gold Medals for Javelin.
When asked if she would be at the Paris Olympics, she said I hope to go out there. I’ve been asked to do a few things. It’s all fascinating. The Olympics will always hold a place in my heart.
Tessa’s health and fitness regime has changed since her competing days. She says, “I may be over 60, but I’m not out and gone – I’m here and want Meta-Age, not old age.” She feels better now taking care of her body than when competing. Now, she is calm, focusing on herself and making herself feel beautiful.
She added, “It is so easy to lose your base fitness, so I go out with a group most Sunday mornings. It’s free and just community fitness. I jog, walk, do sit-ups, and stretch.”
As an aspiring athlete, she suffered racism and a lack of support from the British athletics’ governing body; Tessa Sanderson’s journey was a testament to her resilience. She competed in her first national competition, the Amateur Athletic Association Junior Championships, in 1971 before the European Junior Championships in 1973. Her first senior competition was the 1974 Commonwealth Games in Christchurch, New Zealand. “I broke the British record to qualify and get to the Games,” she says. “When my selection letter came, I was ecstatic. My parents knew it wasn’t a game.”
Despite her success, a lack of funding or sponsorship was a problem, especially as she balanced training and full-time work. “Trying to get to competitions and book cabs that would take my javelin was difficult,” she says. A chance meeting in 1977 with Michael Samuelson, a film producer, led to £2,000 a year in sponsorship, funding her up to the 1984 Olympics.
However, the intervening years were tumultuous. After Sanderson’s first podium finish in 1977 and winning gold at the 1978 Commonwealth Games, she failed to qualify for the 1980 Olympics. She won silver at the 1981 European Cup but was denied gold by a world record throw. A severe injury in 1981 put her out of action for almost two years. She returned in 1983, achieving her career-best throw and finishing fourth at the World Championships.
By the 1984 Olympics, Sanderson felt stronger in “mind, body, and soul.” Her throw of 69.56m set a new Olympic record, making her the first Black British woman to win an Olympic title. “It wasn’t until months later that people said, ‘You’re the first.’ I thought, ‘This is happening; I’ve done something amazing.’
Despite funding struggles, Tessa Sanderson’s unwavering determination and resilience paved the way for a remarkably successful career. From 1986 to 1992, she continued clinching major gold medals, proving her spirit was unbreakable. Even after retirement, she remained active, establishing the Tessa Sanderson Foundation and Academy to nurture and support promising athletes.
After retiring in 1997, Tessa Sanderson’s contributions extended beyond athletics. She became vice-chair of Sport England and focused on family, fostering and adopting twins with her husband, Densign White, a former judo champion and Olympian. Her story is one of triumph over adversity, and her contributions to athletics and her community continue to inspire.
