Fatima ; The Autobiography of Fatima Whitbread

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Fatima Whitbread was born on the 3rd day of March 1961 and was christened Fatima Vedad at birth. Her biological mother was of Turkish Cypriot descent while her father was a Greek Cypriot. She was not loved or wanted by her mother and was abandoned till neighbors called in a rescue team. Fatima spent the next four months after her rescue to recuperate from dehydration and malnutrition in the hospital. Fatima lived the next fourteen years of her life in halfway homes and welfare centers. Is she angry at the system that failed her so spectacularly? “Well, it does make me …” She pauses. “Even today, some of the crazy policies – ousting kids [from care] at 16 is appalling. My son still lives at home; he’s 25. At 16, these are vulnerable kids.” At present, councils are allowed to put 16- and 17-year-old children in unregulated accommodation, although a ban on the practice will come into force in October. “For a lot of young kids, history starts repeating itself: they start getting in trouble, or offending, and it costs the state a whole lot more. These young kids need that support, because once they get out there they’re easily preyed upon. They’re still kids.” a b Rajani, Deepika (10 April 2020). "Pilgrimage: The Road to Istanbul line-up: cast, when it's on BBC One tonight and the route they take". i (newspaper). Archived from the original on 4 April 2022 . Retrieved 4 April 2022. In the months leading up to the 1988 Summer Olympics in Seoul, Whitbread suffered from several ailments: a shoulder injury, boils, glandular fever and problems with her gums. [29] Whitbread won the silver medal behind Felke, [14] with a throw that, although her best of the season, was some four metres less than her rival. [1] [30] Whitbread commented "If I had to be beaten, I am glad it was by Petra." [30]

Fatima Whitbread started her career winning the English Schools’ Athletics Championships intermediate title in 1977, with an event-record distance of 142 ft 9 in (43.51 m), and set a national intermediate record of 158 ft 5 in (48.28 m) in winning the Amateur Athletic Association (AAA) women’s championship the following month. a b c d e f g h i j "Fatima Whitbread: Honours Summary". World Athletics. Archived from the original on 17 July 2021 . Retrieved 7 May 2022.I was fortunate to find the love of the Whitbread family at 14,’ explaining this came about through sport being her ‘saviour’. Is she married?

a b c Adie, Kate (2005). "2. What is your mother's name?". Nobody's Child (Digitaled.). London: Hodder & Stoughton. ISBN 978-1848943605. Archived from the original on 3 February 2023 . Retrieved 24 October 2022– via Google Books.Come Dine With Me Athletics Special". Channel 4. Archived from the original on 30 November 2011 . Retrieved 3 September 2011. she failed to qualify for the final. [12] At the 1982 Commonwealth Games, Whitbread took the bronze medal, throwing 58.86m ( 193ft 1 + 1⁄ 4in), which was 5.6m ( 18ft 4 + 1⁄ 4in) behind champion Sue Howland, from Australia. [10] [13] Whitbread won the silver medal behind Petra Felke (pictured in 1984) at the 1988 Summer Olympics. [14] a b Smith, Giles (25 April 2005). "Talent pool that has you wrestling for the remote – Sport on television". The Times. p.64.

The rivalry was real – although Whitbread says her main rival was East Germany’s Petra Felke – but the media amped it up. Sanderson, who is a few years older, had been Whitbread’s idol. Whitbread says she would have liked to have been friends. “I thought there’s nothing better than to be able to have a good friendship in an event where you can pull together. But everyone’s different, aren’t they? The media, what they instigated, it didn’t lend itself very well [to friendship].” Athletics: Sanderson offered improved pay deal". The Times. 3 June 1987. p.54. Archived from the original on 29 October 2020 . Retrieved 14 July 2020– via NewsBank.Smith, Giles (29 November 2011). "A question of snort after Whitbread smells danger". The Times. p.59. Rodda, John (28 September 2007). "Andy Norman". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 5 January 2022 . Retrieved 12 June 2022. Having finished behind fellow British competitor Tessa Sanderson in a run of 18 competitions, Whitbread finally defeated her rival with a throw of 62.14m ( 203ft 10 + 1⁄ 4in) to win the UK Athletics Championship in 1983, [14] [15] Whitbread won the silver medal at the inaugural World Championships in 1983, having narrowly qualified for the final. [14] She led throughout the final until Tiina Lillak bettered her mark with her last throw of the contest. [1] A few days before the 1984 Summer Olympics, Whitbread had a stomach operation but was still able to travel to the Games and compete. [16] She finished in the bronze medal position, with 67.14m ( 220ft 3 + 1⁄ 4in), and Sanderson (69.56m ( 228ft 2 + 1⁄ 2in)) won gold. [11] [14] [17] Lillak, who had a stress fracture in her right foot, won the silver medal. After the result, Whitbread commented that "I am so disappointed ... I was not right on the night." [16] a b Stubbs, David (7 August 2012). "TV highlights 08/08/2012: Fatima Whitbread: Growing Up In Care". The Guardian . Retrieved 13 June 2022. a b Jefferies, Mark (31 December 2011). "This Morning recruit I'm A Celebrity star Fatima Whitbread to be fat-fighter". Daily Record. Archived from the original on 13 June 2022 . Retrieved 13 June 2022.