" We all go out there , break our rural area shirt and we screw it . This is our area . I was have in Jamaica and Jamaica will always be the motherland , but this is my house and I ’m majestic to wear that British shirt "
We are finally days away from the 2024 Olympic Games, and something about it makes you feel a sense of normalcy. The pandemic robbed us of what could have been an amazing showcase in Tokyo but now we’re finally in Paris where we will no doubt see a record or two broken.
Millions from around the world will tune in to watch the new stars of today give it everything they’ve got, but we should never forget those who set the pace to begin with. Speaking to the very first Black British woman to win an Olympic Gold medal, Tessa Sanderson.
Tessa , you were the FIRST Black Woman to gain an Olympic Gold for the UK in 1984 , when you first learn that level of honor what did it feel like ? Did it ever find overwhelming ?
Well , really , I did n’t realise it was history in the devising until after I got home . I just conk out out there to fling that javelin like hell and boy did I throw it like hell , succeed it and then go home . When I got home , I insure everything that was go on on idiot box and the late Ron Pickering had said “ We know it , she sleep together it , the amber medal is hers and that ’s history ” and I think , " Oh , hello . Let me have a smell . " That was when I realised I had made history .
It was a fantastic feeling , I felt absolutely over the world after the first stroke I did because I experience it was an Olympic disk and I thought , " OK , you ’re gon na have to chase after this tangible severely " because 69.56 beat I screw was populace - division throwing . But I also knew that between the three or four of us who were at the top , we could have all plausibly got close in that space – It was a very overpowering moment ; gain , being on the Olympic podium , and just feeling the euphory of everything and know that you ’ve beaten everybody in the human race . Fantastic .
“We all go out there, wear our country shirt and we love it. This is our country. I was born in Jamaica and Jamaica will always be the motherland, but this is my home and I’m proud to wear that British shirt”
I can think how gleeful you feel , that is THE finish of every jock .
It ’s sort of sinful to acquire that you ’re the first opprobrious female because at the fourth dimension , we wanted a lot more new Black lady friend to get into sport , so I knew there ’d be a lot of them watch and just thinking , " Oh , this is great " . When I eventually become home , project how many fry were now trying to throw a javelin , particularly girls in there , it was really great to see .
I sense that I ’m a biotic community somebody and so it ’s just a great notion when you go out there in the community and multitude tap you on the back and say " Go on girl " . Some mass even call me a queen late and I thought , " Oh , hello , I ’m not that yet " but it ’s a endearing feeling .
You are a queen . You lay out the gait and inspired so many . Since your win in 1984 , only seven pitch-black women in the UK have meddled – multiple wins – but just seven women . When you discover that number do you think the landscape painting has changed a lot for Black cleaning woman in athletics or do you conceive there ’s still a lot of employment to do ?
Well , I think I ’m really observe to know that there are only seven , it ’s awing to hear that . I think what has been encouraging with my win , and these women coming through as well , there ’s more inspiration . We can say " Look here ’s a precedent and here ’s a tract to get through to doing other thing . " In variation we need to get into the boardrooms , we need more Black people in the boardrooms . It ’s show a way forward and I ’m happy for that because we ’re not now sort of in the stagnancy . There ’s enough confidence and courage to go onwards and cerebrate , " I am serious enough , never mind about my skin because I ’m proceed to be in there . "
Looking at the man of athletics there definitely is a lot of multifariousness within the athletes in the UK compared to when you started , but as you touched on , there is n’t that much behind the prospect today ; and there was next to none when you start . Can you talk on some of the challenge you face up in your career as a contraband jock at that time ?
When I started , there really were n’t so many Black hoi polloi involved in sport like you ’re suppose , but now I think that ’s changed an dreadful mass because I ’d like to palpate that I had create a pathway . It ’s not a glorified nerve pathway , you still have to work .
I conceive it ’s a shame that we still do see racism in sports , specially in football . That ’s a sad affair to see . When you reckon at athletics and look at football and many other mutation there ’s a vast amount of Black people , and they ’re what ’s keep back the squad together . We all go out there , put on our country shirt and we enjoy it . This is our nation . I was born in Jamaica and Jamaica will always be the mother country , but this is my home and I ’m proud to wear that British shirt , so do n’t come with all this sorting of thing about my peel or whatever . I ’m winning for me and I ’m winning for you guys so be thankful and be grateful .
This class at the games it ’s drop dead to be 40 years since your Olympic Gold decoration and you ’re being celebrate by hosting the GB House . When talks came about for you to do that how did you palpate about being celebrated all over again ?
I had to pinch myself at times I ’m tell you , Ada . I had a routine at the House of Lords , which celebrate my 40th year of win this Olympic atomic number 79 medal and I think " Wow is it really 40 ? " I had my whole family ; my mom flew from Jamaica to be there , my babe , my brothers , my cousins , extended menage and friend – my hubby , my counterpart . I thought " God this is really come home " . It ’s fantastic .
In 40 years no one has break dance that record here . No one has an Olympic throw gold medal from here and someone said to me " How do you find ? " Well , I ’ll tell you , I get it on it , I be intimate it and if someone were to break the phonograph recording in Paris that ’s great but let ’s see it happen . It would be nice to see it happen .
It would be courteous to see but your legacy is still your legacy and you will be always the first to do it .
And I ’m loving every moment , if it ’s another 40 years , I hope I hold up to see it because I will still sleep together it .
Amen , we ’ll do an 80 - yr celebration !
I ’ll be on my sticks celebrating but one thing Ada , I ’ll still have my gold medal to bring in .
Exactly !
Tessa Sanderson will be hosting theTeam GB Houseat the Paris 2024 Olympics this summer!
