Former Olympic Javelin Thrower, Won Seven Gold Medals & Set a World Record, Motivational Speaker & Was Voted IAAF Athlete of the Year

Steve Backley OBE, 7 Gold medals, a world record, two Olympic silver medals and one bronze. He finally hung up his javelin at the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens. He had proved he was still one of the world’s best by being placed 4th in the final.

Steve was one of Britain’s most consistent and popular athletes for over a decade, as well as being firmly established as one of the all time greats of the sport having been ranked in the world top ten for javelin every year between 1989 and 2002.

A constant fixture in the national athletics team, standing on podiums and setting world records. Steve is the only British track and field competitor to win medals at three different Olympic Games. These were at Barcelona, Atlanta and Sydney.

It has been a long and successful career for Steve Backley. He first made his mark by winning silver at the 1988 Junior World Championships. Then he broke the world junior record that same year. He went on in his first two years as a senior athlete to be the world’s number one javelin thrower. This was a first for a British athlete. In 1989 Steve claimed the UK and Commonwealth records.

In the following year Steve Backley gained gold medals at both the European and Commonwealth Championships. He went on in 2002 to become only the second male ever to complete a successive four European gold medals. However, he was joined by British hurdler Colin Jackson later on in the same championships.

In 1990 Steve also became the first British male to set a World Record in a throws event. This was in Stockholm, Sweden when he threw 89.58m . He broke this record himself later that year when he threw 90.98m at Crystal Palace. He was using a rough tailed Nemeth model. When this was banned at the end of 1991, Steve’s 89.58m was reinstated, until he improved it by throwing 91.46m in New Zealand in 1992, which stood until a year later when his record was broken by his long time nemesis the Czech athlete, Jan Zelezny.

Steve has continually fought back from injury setbacks in his career, including a ruptured Achilles and shoulder and abductor injuries.

In 2003 Steve struggled to find his top form and was disappointed at the World Championships in Paris to finish 9th in the final after a throw of 80.13m.

Off track, Steve was delighted to be awarded with an OBE in 2002 following the MBE he received in 1995. In 1990 he was also voted IAAF Athlete of the Year, British Athletics Writers Athlete of the Year and British Sports Writers Sportsman of the Year as well as coming fourth in the prestigious BBC TV Sports Personality of the Year.

On Television Steve Backley has appeared on Dancing on Ice and Celebrity Chef. He also appeared on They Think it’s All Over and sang in an all-male choir for Sport Relief. Steve is a stunning motivational speaker, and you can book Steve Backley by clicking on the Enquire Now button below or call SpeakOut on 020 8914 8966.

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