Paul Sanders (born 11 January 1962) is a British former track and field sprinter who specialised in the 400 metres. He was a gold medallist at the 1990 European Athletics Championships, running in the British men's 4 × 400 metres relay quartet alongside Kriss Akabusi, John Regis, and Roger Black.Paul Sanders. European Athletics. Retrieved 2020-11-10.British Medalists in European Championships. GBR Athletics. Retrieved 2020-11-10. Their winning time of 2:58.22 minutes was a European record at the time and remains the European Championship record.European Championships Best Performances Men. European Athletics (archived). Retrieved on 2009-07-13.European Records. Athletics Weekly. Retrieved 2020-11-10.
Sanders competed twice for Great Britain individually, reaching the semi-finals at the 1990 European Athletics Championships and the quarter-finals at the 1991 World Championships in Athletics.Paul Sanders. World Athletics. Retrieved 2020-11-10. He ranked third in Europe on time in the 1991 season, with his lifetime best of 45.33 seconds for the distance.European Top Performers 1980-2005. GBR Athletics. Retrieved 2020-11-10.
He did not win any title at the AAA Championships during his career but did win two titles at the UK Athletics Championships, first in 1989 then again in 1991. He was also runner-up in 1988 (to Brian Whittle) and 1990 (to Roger Black).UK Championships. GBR Athletics. Retrieved 2020-11-10. At sub-national level, he was the 1986 winner of the 400 m at the Inter-Counties Championships.CAU (Inter Counties) Championships. GBR Athletics. Retrieved 2020-11-10.
Sanders was coached by Mike Smith,Paul Sanders. Power of 10. Retrieved 2020-11-10. who was also coach to British sprinters Akabusi, Black and Iwan Thomas.Olympic athletics coach Mike Smith dies aged 88. BBC Sport (2017-03-07). Retrieved 2020-11-10.
International competitions 1990European ChampionshipsSplit, SFR Yugoslavia5th (semis)400 m46.061st4 × 400 m relay2:58.22 1991European CupFrankfurt, Germany1st4 × 400 m relay3:00.58World ChampionshipsTokyo, Japan7th (qf)400 m46.59
National titles UK Athletics Championships 400 m: 1989, 1991
See also List of European Athletics Championships medalists (men) List of British champions in 400 metres
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