Christina Boxer
Encyclopedia
Christina Tracy Boxer-Cahill (born March 25, 1957 in Northolt
, Greater London
) is a retired female middle distance
athlete from England
. She competed in three consecutive Summer Olympics for Great Britain, starting in 1980. Boxer claimed the gold medal in the women's 1500 m event at the 1982 Commonwealth Games
.
In 1984, Boxer finished 6th in the Olympic
final for women's 1,500m. Boxer also competed in the 1988 Summer Olympics
in Seoul
, South Korea
where she finished 4th in the 1500m final, with a time of 4:00.64. She was beaten into bronze by Tetyana Dorovskikh, who was later banned for taking performance-enhancing drugs
.
She became the first British woman to run 800 m in under two minutes, with a time of 1:59.05 in Turin in August 1979. She still remains one of only three (the other two being Kirsty McDermott and Hannah England
) to have broken both two minutes for 800 metres and nine minutes for 3000 metres
.
In the late 1990s she became a reporter for BBC Sport
's athletics coverage, providing track-side interviews at the Sydney Olympic Games in 2000. She was replaced by Sally Gunnell
.
Christina Boxer is now employed by the University of Birmingham as a Sports Development Manager.
Northolt
Northolt is a town in the London Borough of Ealing, England. The town has London Underground and Network Rail stations and is on the A40 road...
, Greater London
Greater London
Greater London is the top-level administrative division of England covering London. It was created in 1965 and spans the City of London, including Middle Temple and Inner Temple, and the 32 London boroughs. This territory is coterminate with the London Government Office Region and the London...
) is a retired female middle distance
Middle distance track event
Middle distance running events are track races longer than sprints, up to 3000 metres. The standard middle distances are the 800 metres, 1500 metres and mile run, although the 3000 metres may also be classified as a middle distance event. The 880 yard run, or half mile, was the forebear to the...
athlete from England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. She competed in three consecutive Summer Olympics for Great Britain, starting in 1980. Boxer claimed the gold medal in the women's 1500 m event at the 1982 Commonwealth Games
1982 Commonwealth Games
The 1982 Commonwealth Games were held in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia from 30 September–9 October 1982. The Opening Ceremony was held at the QEII Stadium , in the Brisbane suburb of Nathan. The QEII Stadium was also the venue which was used for the athletics and archery competitions during the...
.
In 1984, Boxer finished 6th in the Olympic
1984 Summer Olympics
The 1984 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXIII Olympiad, was an international multi-sport event held in Los Angeles, California, United States in 1984...
final for women's 1,500m. Boxer also competed in the 1988 Summer Olympics
1988 Summer Olympics
The 1988 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXIV Olympiad, were an all international multi-sport events celebrated from September 17 to October 2, 1988 in Seoul, South Korea. They were the second summer Olympic Games to be held in Asia and the first since the 1964 Summer Olympics...
in Seoul
Seoul
Seoul , officially the Seoul Special City, is the capital and largest metropolis of South Korea. A megacity with a population of over 10 million, it is the largest city proper in the OECD developed world...
, South Korea
South Korea
The Republic of Korea , , is a sovereign state in East Asia, located on the southern portion of the Korean Peninsula. It is neighbored by the People's Republic of China to the west, Japan to the east, North Korea to the north, and the East China Sea and Republic of China to the south...
where she finished 4th in the 1500m final, with a time of 4:00.64. She was beaten into bronze by Tetyana Dorovskikh, who was later banned for taking performance-enhancing drugs
Doping (sport)
The use of performance-enhancing drugs in sport is commonly referred to by the term "doping", particularly by those organizations that regulate competitions. The use of performance enhancing drugs is mostly done to improve athletic performance. This is why many sports ban the use of performance...
.
She became the first British woman to run 800 m in under two minutes, with a time of 1:59.05 in Turin in August 1979. She still remains one of only three (the other two being Kirsty McDermott and Hannah England
Hannah England
Hannah England is a British middle-distance athlete who specialises in the 800 metres, 1500 metres and mile run.Born in Oxford, England, she attended the Cherwell School in Summertown, North Oxford. England joined Oxford City Athletic Club as an under 13, her first major success coming in the UK...
) to have broken both two minutes for 800 metres and nine minutes for 3000 metres
3000 metres
The 3000 metres is a popular amateur middle distance track event where 7.5 laps are completed around a 400 metre track. This event is generally classified as middle distance, but it could be classed as a long distance event in many high schools, since they do not promote races such as the 5000 and...
.
In the late 1990s she became a reporter for BBC Sport
BBC Sport
BBC Sport is the sports division of the BBC. It became a fully dedicated division of the BBC in 2000. It incorporates programmes such as Match of the Day, Grandstand , Test Match Special, Ski Sunday, Rugby Special and coverage of Formula One motor racing, MotoGP and the Wimbledon Tennis...
's athletics coverage, providing track-side interviews at the Sydney Olympic Games in 2000. She was replaced by Sally Gunnell
Sally Gunnell
Sally Jane Janet Gunnell OBE is a former British Olympic champion in the 400 m hurdles...
.
Christina Boxer is now employed by the University of Birmingham as a Sports Development Manager.