Fatima Whitbread

Born in London to Cypriot parents, Fatima Whitbread endured a disturbed childhood after being abandoned by her mother as a baby and spent her first 14 years in a variety of care homes.

She took up the javelin at the age of 11 and was eventually adopted by Margaret Whitbread, a former javelin thrower turned national javelin coach, and her husband. Whitbread became European Junior Champion in 1979 and was chosen for the Moscow Olympics whilst still a teenager. After winning a bronze medal at the 1982 Commonwealth Games she broke through into the top echelon of throwers at the 1983 World Championships. She led the competition until the very last throw from home favourite Tiina Lillak. She had a famous, and occasionally bitter, rivalry with compatriot Tessa Sanderson and both women reached the podium at the 1984 Olympic Games. On this occasion it was Sanderson who took the Olympic title and Whitbread who had to be content with the bronze medal. After placing second behind Sanderson at the Commonwealth Games of 1986 Whitbread set a world record in qualifying for the 1986 European Championships in Athens and went on to clinch both that event and win the following year’s World Championships. Whitbread was slightly below par at the 1988 Olympics and finished in silver medal position with a throw four metres less than that of Petra Felke. A chronic shoulder injury ruined her career from that point on and, after a failed attempt at a comeback in 1992, she retired from the sport. She was married to athletics agent and promoter Andy Norman from 1997 until his death in 2007. Whitbread was voted Britain’s Sports Personality of the year in 1987.

Personal Best: JT – 77.44 (1986).