Angella Taylor-Issajenko

Angella Taylor first represented Canada on the international stage at the 1978 Commonwealth Games, where she was eliminated in the heats of the 200 metres. She gained attention the following year by coming in second in the event at the 1979 Pan American Games, behind Evelyn Ashford of the United States, and taking bronze in the 100 metres. Canada’s boycott of the 1980 Summer Olympics deprived her of a chance to participate in that tournament, but she returned strongly to the Commonwealth Games in 1982 by winning four medals: gold in the 100 m and 4x400 metre relay (alongside Charmaine Crooks, Molly Killingbeck, and Jill Richardson-Briscoe), silver in the 4x100 metre relay (with Killingbeck, Angela Bailey, and Marita Payne Wiggins), and bronze in the 200 m. After coming in seventh in the 100 m at the 1983 World Championships, she was finally afforded an opportunity to attend the Olympics in 1984, where she finished eighth in the 100 m and captured silver in the 4x100 m relay (alongside Bailey, Payne, and France Gareau).

For her achievements in the world of track and field, Taylor was made a member of the order of Canada in 1985 and became known as Angella Issajenko. Her change in name, and the birth of her first child, did not affect her prowess in the athletic realm and she earned three medals at the 1986 Commonwealth Games: gold in the 200 m, silver in the 4x100 m relay (with Bailey, Esmie Lawrence, and Angela Phipps), and bronze in the 100 m. The following year she was fifth in the 100 m and sixth in the 4x100 m relay (alongside Bailey, Phipps, and Katie Anderson) at the World Championships, but won the 60 metre event at the World Indoor Championships. Her next stop was the 1988 Summer Olympics, where she was eliminated in the quarterfinals of the 100 m and the semifinals of the 4x100 m relay (with her World Championship quartet). By the end of the year, however, she had been banned from international competition after admitting to steroid use during the enquiries surrounding disgraced Olympic champion Ben Johnson. She lost her 60 m victory from the World Indoor Championships but kept the rest of her results, including her nine 100 m (1979-1984, 1986-1988) and eight 200 m (1979-1984, 1986-1987) Canadian national titles. Since then she has worked as a teacher for special needs students and is also involved in track coaching.

Personal Bests: 100 – 10.97 (1987); 200 – 22.25 (1982).