Photo: Sally_Gunnell_in_1995.jpg: User:Electric.tapir derivative work: Ukexpat—Public domain
Sally Gunnell
- Born
- Jul 29, 1966 (60 years old)
- Birthplace
- Chigwell, United Kingdom
- Events
- 400 m hurdles · 100 m hurdles
- Height
- 1.67 m
- Weight
- 58 kg
Sally Jane Janet Gunnell, OBE, DL (born 29 July 1966) is a British former track-and-field athlete, who won the 1992 Olympic gold medal in the 400 metres hurdles.
During a 24-month period between 1992 and 1994, Gunnell won every international event open to her, claiming Olympic Games, World Championship, European Championship, Commonwealth Games, Goodwill Games, IAAF World Cup and European Cup golds in the event, and breaking the British, European and World records in it.
She is the only female British athlete to have won all four 'majors'; Olympic, World, European and Commonwealth titles, and was the first female 400 metres hurdler in history to win the Olympic and World titles and break the world record. Her former world record time of 52.74 secs in 1993 is still the current British record. She was named World and European Female Athlete of the Year in 1993, and was made an MBE in 1993 and an OBE in 1998.
As of Oct 30, 2026: 400 m hurdles 52.74 (#15 all-time), 100 m hurdles 12.80 (#307 all-time), 1997 season best 54.53 (Aug 5, 1997, Olympic Stadium, Athina (GRE)) · Last competition: IAAF World Championships, Olympic Stadium, Athina, Aug 6, 1997, DNS · Olympic Games: 1 gold, 1 bronze · World Championships: 1 gold, 1 silver, 1 bronze · National record (400 m hurdles) · 60 years old
Personal bests
WA points calculator →* Wind-assisted (> 2.0 m/s)
Medals
| Competitions | Gold | Silver | Bronze | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Olympic Games | 1 | – | 1 | 2 |
| World Championships | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 |
| Total | 2 | 1 | 2 | 5 |
Progression
| Season | Discipline | Result | Wind | Date | Competitions |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1997 | 400m-short-track | 52.22 | – | Feb 23, 1997 | – |
| 1997 | 400m-short-track Indoor | 52.22 | – | Feb 23, 1997 | Birmingham (GBR) (i) |
| 1997 | 400m Indoor | 52.61 | – | May 25, 1997 | Birmingham (GBR) (i) |
| 1997 | 400m | 52.61 | – | May 25, 1997 | – |
| 1997 | 400mH | 54.53 | – | Aug 5, 1997 | IAAF World Championships, Olympic Stadium, Athina |
| 1997 | 4x400m | 3:26.48 | – | Jun 22, 1997 | Olympiastadion, München (GER) |
| 1997 | 4x400Metre Indoor | 3:32.25 | – | Mar 9, 1997 | IAAF World Indoor Championships |
| 1996 | 400m | 51.45 | – | Jun 30, 1996 | Gateshead (GBR) |