Christina Boxer

Christina Tracy Boxer-Cahill (born 25 March 1957) is a retired female middle distance athlete from England. She represented Great Britain at three Olympic Games, in Moscow 1980, Los Angeles 1984 and Seoul 1988. In Seoul, she finished fourth in the 1500 metres final. She also won a gold medal in the 1500 m at the 1982 Commonwealth Games. In 1979, she became the first British woman in history to run the 800 metres in under two-minutes.

Education

Yately School/Farnborough College (1968–1976); Loughborough University (1979–1983); Chichester University (2003–2004)

Career

Boxer was born in Northolt, Greater London, England and was a member of Aldershot, Farnham & District Athletics Club and later Gateshead Harriers & AC. In 1971, she won the Under 15 English National Cross Country Championships. She won the first of 11 AAAs Championship and UK Championship titles in 1977, winning the AAAs National 800 metres title in 2:03.78.

In August 1979, Boxer became the first British woman to run 800 metres in under two minutes, with a time of 1:59.05 in Turin. She still remains one of only three British woman, along with Kirsty Wade and Hannah England, to have broken both two minutes for 800 metres and nine minutes for 3000 metres. She gained a BSc in Physical Education and Sport Science and a PGCE in PE & Biology at Loughborough University between 1979–1983. During this time, she competed at her first Olympic Games in Moscow 1980, reaching the semi-finals of the 800 m. In 1982, she won the gold medal in the women's 1500 m event at the Commonwealth Games in Brisbane.