Games glory revives memories for Sandra
AFTER celebrating a record-breaking haul of Team GB medals at the Olympic games, former medallist Sandra Wright has reflected on her own podium memories.
Sandra, who lives on Byrons Lane in Macclesfield, won a bronze medal in the 1992 Olympic Games in Barcelona after competing in the Women’s 4x400m relay.
The mum-of-one, 49, said she was an ‘emotional wreck’ after watching the current relay squad - which includes former Macclesfield Harrier Seren BundyDavies - who repeated her achievements and scored bronze in the same event.
She said: “I’ve watched more of the Olympics than ever this year and it’s been very emotional. I was an emotional wreck after watching the 400m event. It feels surreal when I watch videos of it.
“I have to pinch myself when I think out of all the people who’ve won medals I’m one of them.”
Sandra and her teammates Jenny Stoute, Sally Gunnell and Phylis Smith still hold the record for the fastest British Olympic medal winning time achieved in the 400m event at three minutes, 24.23 seconds. She added: “When we won the bronze I felt like someone else was in my body. I remember then Prime Minister John Major putting his thumbs up when we were on the podium and I had a lipstick in my sports bag we all put on.”
But there was no victory parade for Sandra, who returned to work as a policewoman in Manchester within days of her return. She said: “Looking back now I don’t know how I did it - it was hard going training around my police night shifts.”
Born in Cheetham Hill, Manchester, the Macclesfield Harriers and lifelong Trafford Harriers member began her athletics training aged nine with Bury Athletics Club, then moving on to Blackley Ladies.
In 1994 she competed in the Commonwealth Games in Canada but did not win due to an injury and then had to return to her police job.
She said: “I came away from my career before I reached my full potential. There was no funding for athletes like today and I needed to pay the mortgage so I gave it up.”
However trainee physiotherapist says she is now planning to return to the track as a veteran athlete.