Fatima Whitbread

Britain's most celebrated field athlete — World Champion in 1987, Olympic bronze and silver medallist and the holder of a world record whose personal story of overcoming childhood abuse to reach the pinnacle of world sport made her one of Britain's most inspirational athletes.

Fatima Ann Whitbread was born in London in 1961, abandoned by her mother at birth and placed in care before being adopted by javelin coach Margaret Whitbread aged 14. She became one of Britain's finest ever field athletes — winning the World Championship javelin title in 1987 and setting a world record of 77.44 metres in Stuttgart in 1986 that stood for 5 years. She competed from 1975 to 1992. She won Olympic silver at Los Angeles 1984 and Olympic bronze at Seoul 1988. She won the European Championship in 1986 and Commonwealth gold in 1986. Her world record of 77.44 metres remains the European record. Her path from childhood abandonment and care homes to world championship was one of athletics' most celebrated personal stories. Her rivalry with Tessa Sanderson — the other world-class British javelin thrower of the same era — dominated British athletics in the mid-1980s, both reaching Olympic medal standards at the same Games. She was awarded the MBE in 1987. She has spoken publicly about her childhood experiences and her connection to her drive to succeed, making her one of athletics' most compelling biographical subjects.

Powerful technical thrower with exceptional strength and precision

One of Britain's greatest field athletes and javelin throwing pioneer

• World Champion Javelin 1987 (Rome)
• Olympic Silver Javelin 1984 (Los Angeles)
• Olympic Bronze Javelin 1988 (Seoul)
• European Champion Javelin 1986
• World Record Javelin 77.44m (Stuttgart 1986)
• MBE 1987