Tessa Sanderson Tessa Sanderson Theresa Ione "Tessa" Sanderson, (born 14 March 1956) is an English former javelin thrower and heptathlete. A six-time Olympian in the javelin (1976–1996), she won the gold medal in 1984 for Great Britain, and in 1996 she became the second track and field athlete, after discus thrower Lia Manoliu, to compete at six Olympics. She is one of only five women in history to have thrown the javelin (old model) over 73 metres. She is the first black British woman to have won an Olympic gold medal. Sanderson was born in St Elizabeth, Jamaica of Ghanaian ancestry. She
Derek Sanderson professional sports history. The Philadelphia Blazers of the rival league World Hockey Association signed Sanderson to a $2.6 million contract, making him the highest-paid athlete in the world at the time. His time with the Blazers was disastrous, as, plagued with injuries, Sanderson appeared in only eight games, recording six points. The Blazers management team had had enough and at the end of the season, Sanderson was paid $1 million to return to the Bruins. After being kicked off the Blazers' roster, Sanderson played with the Bruins for two seasons, in which he suited up for only 54 games out