British sprinter (born 1952)
Andrea Joan Caron Lynch (born 24 November 1952) is a British former track and field sprinter who competed mainly in the 100 metres . A two-time Olympian, the peak of her career was becoming a bronze medallist in the 100 m at the 1974 European Championships and a double silver medallist in the 100 m and 4 × 100 metres relay at the 1974 British Commonwealth Games .[ 1] [ 2] A former British record holder in the 100 m, she has a hand-timed best of 10.9 seconds in 1974 and an auto-timed best of 11.16 secs in 1975.[ 3] Her 200 metres best is 23.15 secs in 1975.
Career
Born in Barbados , she moved to England with her family at a young age. She would later apply to represent the country of her birth for the 1970 British Commonwealth Games , but decided to compete for Britain after she failed to receive a response.[ 4] She proved herself as a young sprinter for Britain, winning at the English Schools' Athletics Championships over 100 m in 1970 and over 200 metres in 1971.[ 5] She was the 100 m winner at the 1970 British Schools International Match .[ 6] Her first major medal came at the 1970 European Athletics Junior Championships , being 100 m silver medallist behind Poland's Helena Kerner .[ 7]
In 1974 she equalled the world record for the 60 metres , running 7.2 seconds.[ 8] She had some of her greatest successes in that indoor event, winning the gold medal at the 1975 European Athletics Indoor Championships , having previously won a silver at the competition in 1974 .[ 9]
Lynch represented Great Britain at the Olympics in 1972 and 1976. In her first appearance, while still a teenager, she was a semi-finalist in the 100 m and was seventh in the 4 × 100 metres relay. Returning four years later, she made the Olympic 100 metres final and placed seventh, as well as making the relay final.[ 10]
The following year she was runner-up to Renate Stecher at the 1975 European Cup and took her last major individual medals at the 1977 Universiade (a 100 m silver and 200 m bronze).[ 11] Her only global level medal came with the European relay team at the 1977 IAAF World Cup , where she teamed up with national rival Sonia Lannaman and West Germany's Annegret Richter and Elvira Possekel to claim the gold.[ 12]
At national level she won three 100 m title at the AAA Championships and three 60 m titles at the AAA Indoor Championships (1973, 1975 and 1976).[ 13] [ 14] She was runner-up in both 100 m and 200 m to Sonia Lannaman at the inaugural 1977 UK Athletics Championships .[ 15] She also competed as a guest at the Scottish Athletics Championships in 1972 and won both short sprints.[ 16]
After retiring from competitive athletics , she remained involved with the sport and took up sprint coaching, including top ranked national junior sprinter Kyle Reynolds-Warmington at Belgrave Harriers .[ 17] [ 18]
She was formerly married to Canadian Olympic sprinter Brian Saunders .[ 10]
International competitions
Year
Competition
Venue
Position
Event
Notes
1970
European Junior Championships
Colombes , France
2nd
100 m
12.19
11th (sf)
200 m
24.7
5th
4 × 100 m relay
46.30[ 19]
1972
Olympic Games
Munich , Germany
15th (sf)
100 m
11.64
7th
4 × 100 m relay
43.71
1974
British Commonwealth Games
Christchurch , New Zealand
2nd
100 m
11.31
2nd
4 × 100 m relay
44.30
European Indoor Championships
Gothenburg , Sweden
2nd
60 m
7.17
European Championships
Rome , Italy
3rd
100 m
11.28
17th (h)
200 m
24.22
4th
4 × 100 m relay
43.94
1975
European Indoor Championships
Katowice , Poland
1st
60 m
7.17
European Cup
Nice , France
2nd
100 m
11.37
1976
Olympic Games
Montreal, Quebec , Canada
7th
100 m
11.32
8th
4 × 100 m relay
43.79
1977
Universiade
Sofia , Bulgaria
2nd
100 m
11.22
3rd
200 m
23.23
IAAF World Cup
Düsseldorf , West Germany
1st
4 × 100 m relay
42.51
(#) indicates overall position in qualifying heats (h) or semifinals (sf)
National titles
See also
References
External links
1977: Europe (Possekel , Lynch , Richter , Lannaman )
1979: Europe (Haglund , Réga , Richter , Hunte )
1981: East Germany (Siemon , Wöckel , Walther , Göhr )
1985: East Germany (Gladisch , Rieger , Auerswald , Göhr )
1989: East Germany (Behrendt , Günther , Möller , Oschkenat )
1992: Asia (Gao , Tian , Chen , Xiao )
1994: Africa (Idehen , Tombiri , Opara-Thompson , Onyali )
1998: United States (Taplin , Gaines , Miller , Guidry )
2002: Americas (Lawrence , Campbell , McDonald , Ferguson )
2006: Americas (Bailey , Ferguson-McKenzie , Mothersille , Simpson )
2010: Americas (Mothersille , Ferguson-McKenzie , Solomon , Baptiste )
2014: Americas (Bartoletta , Ahye , Henry-Robinson , Campbell-Brown )
2018: Americas (Tenorio , Miller-Uibo , Prandini , Rosa )
The 1967–1969, 1972 and 1981 races were over
50 metres