Photo: Tessa_Sanderson.jpg: Original uploader and author was Indianathletics at en.wikipedia derivative work: MachoCarioca (talk) / CC BY-SA 3.0 (source: Wikimedia Commons)
Tessa Sanderson is listed as a javelin thrower. Tessa Sanderson was born in Saint Elizabeth Parish, Jamaica on March 14, 1956. That works out to 70 years old in 2026. Listed accolades include Commander of the Order of the British Empire. The listed height is 168 cm.
My Take
Sanderson is the kind of athlete I most admire: not a one-meteor flash but a fixture across two decades. Competing at every Olympics from 1976 to 1996 demands a longevity that borders on the absurd, and her 1984 javelin gold made her the first Black British woman to win Olympic gold. That's not just a medal, it's a doorway held open for everyone who followed. The CBE feels almost like an afterthought next to that legacy. What stays with me is the quiet stubbornness it takes to keep throwing, season after season, long after most rivals have retired.
1. Profile
- Name (English)
- Tessa Sanderson
- Name (Japanese)
- テッサ・サンダーソン
- Reading
- てっさ・さんだーそん
- Born
- March 14, 1956 (age 70)
- Zodiac / Chinese zodiac
- Pisces / Monkey
- Origin
- Saint Elizabeth Parish, Jamaica
- Height
- 168 cm
- Occupation
- javelin thrower
2. Background
Awards & achievements
- Commander of the Order of the British Empire
3. Links
4. About this entry
Tags
- Last updated
- 2026-06-21
Facts are limited to publicly available information up to 2024; non-public or unconfirmed items are omitted. English text is machine-assisted (facts translated by Sonnet, "My Take" written by Opus 4.8). The Japanese page is the source of record.
Frequently asked questions
When was Tessa Sanderson born?
Born March 14, 1956 (age 70).
Where is Tessa Sanderson from?
Tessa Sanderson is from Saint Elizabeth Parish, Jamaica.
What does Tessa Sanderson do?
Tessa Sanderson works as javelin thrower.
How tall is Tessa Sanderson?
Tessa Sanderson is 168 cm.