Tessa Sanderson later emigrated to Wolverhampton, England. Member of Wolverhampton & Bilston Athletic Club coached initially in the progressive days by John Moogan, and, subsequently by National Track and Field Coach Wilf Paish. Sanderson was the UK's leading javelin thrower from the mid-1970s, winning silver in the 1978 European championships and gold in the Commonwealth Games three times (1978, 1986, 1990), but was eclipsed during the 1980s by the up-and-coming Fatima Whitbread, with whom she shared a long-standing rivalry. When Sanderson won the gold medal at the 1984 Summer Olympics in the javelin, becoming the first British woman ever to win Olympic
Tessa Sanderson place by the viewers. Sanderson took part in the "Dancing on Ice goes Gold" program on ITV which was aired on 22 July 2012. She also took part in a one-off exclusive BBC Red Button episode of "EastEnders" which was aired on 16 July 2012. At 58 years of age, she began working as a model for the Grey Model Agency. Sanderson was appointed a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in the 1985 New Year's Honours, following her Olympic gold, raised to Officer (OBE) in the 1998 New Year's Honours for her charity work, and to