{{Short description|Maltese middle-distance runner}} {{Use dmy dates|date=April 2025}} {{Use British English|date=April 2025}} {{Infobox sportsperson | name = Tanya Blake | image = | imagesize = | caption = | nationality = British/Maltese | sport = Athletics | event = Middle-distance running | club = Zurrieq Wolves | coach = | pb = '''800 m''': 1:59.56 (2003)<br />'''1500 m''': 4:29.01 (2003) | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1971|1|16|df=yes}} | birth_place = Newham, London, England | death_date = | death_place = | height = {{height|m=1.67|abbr=on}} | weight = {{convert|58|kg|lb|0|abbr=on}} | medaltemplates = }}
'''Tanya-Gee Blake''' (born 16 January 1971) is a Maltese-English retired middle-distance runner, who specialized in the 800 metres and competed at the 2004 Summer Olympics.
== Biography == Born in England to a Maltese mother and American father,<ref name="Tanya Blake – God Given Talent 2006">{{cite web | title=Tanya Blake – God Given Talent | date=June 25, 2006 | url=https://www.time-to-run.com/malta/profiles/blake.htm | access-date=June 6, 2022}}</ref> Blake held dual citizenship to compete internationally and represented Malta.<ref>{{cite sports-reference|title = Tanya Blake|url = https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/bl/tanya-blake-1.html|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20200418060714/https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/bl/tanya-blake-1.html|url-status = dead|archive-date = 18 April 2020|access-date = 7 November 2014}}</ref> Blake competed for the Arkansas Razorbacks track and field team in the NCAA.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://arkansasrazorbacks.com/track_and_field_fact_sheet_14_121918/|title= Track and Field Fact Sheet #14 |website=arkansasrazorbacks.com}}</ref>
Blake finished second behind Diane Modahl in the 800 metres event at the 1998 AAA Championships.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nuts.org.uk/Champs/AAA/index.htm |title=AAA, WAAA and National Championships Medallists |website=National Union of Track Statisticians |access-date=2 April 2025}}</ref> Blake recorded two more second place finishes behind Kelly Holmes at the 1999 AAA Championships and 2001 AAA Championships.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.gbrathletics.com/bc/waaa.htm |title=AAA Championships (women) |website=GBR Athletics |access-date=2 April 2025 }}</ref>
Blake set a historic milestone as the first Maltese athlete to break a two-minute barrier and a national record in the 800 metres at the 2003 Prefontaine Classic Grand Prix in Eugene, Oregon, United States, by registering her career best and an A-standard entry time of 1:59.56 it guaranteed her a spot on her adopted nation's team for the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens.<ref name=tanya-blake-iaaf>{{cite news|title=Small teams, large ambitions – Malta and Uganda in Paris|url=http://www.iaaf.org/news/news/small-teams-large-ambitions-malta-and-ugand|publisher=IAAF|date=20 August 2003|accessdate=7 November 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Tanya Blake sets new 800m mark in Oregon meet|url=http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20030526/sport/tanya-blake-sets-new-800m-mark-in-oregon-meet.149288|publisher=Times of Malta|date=26 May 2003|accessdate=7 November 2014}}</ref> In the women's 800 metres at the Olympics, unable to repeat her form from the Grand Prix a year earlier, Blake posted outside her national record of 2:19.34 and failed to advance further into the semifinals, as she was the last runner to cross the finish line in heat six. <ref name=tanya-blake-iaaf/><ref>{{cite news|title=Blake books World Championships and Olympics berths|url=http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20030527/sport/blake-books-world-championships-and-olympics-berths.149232|publisher=Times of Malta|date=27 May 2003|accessdate=7 November 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Tanya Blake - the first Maltese to qualify by right|url=http://www.iaaf.org/news/news/tanya-blake-the-first-maltese-to-qualify-by|publisher=IAAF|date=12 August 2004|accessdate=7 November 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=IAAF Athens 2004: Women's 800m Round 1 – Heat 6|url=http://www.iaaf.org/competitions/olympic-games/28th-olympic-games-3201/results/men/800-metres/heats/result|work=Athens 2004|publisher=IAAF|accessdate=27 September 2013}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Blake out of 800 metres|url=http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20040821/sport/blake-out-of-800-metres.114638|publisher=Times of Malta|date=21 August 2004|accessdate=7 November 2014}}</ref>
During her athletic career, Blake trained for the Zurrieq Wolves track and field team.<ref>{{cite news|title=Early edge for Pembroke teams|url=http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20030715/sport/early-edge-for-pembroke-teams.145638|publisher=Times of Malta|date=15 July 2003|accessdate=7 November 2014}}</ref>
== References == {{Reflist}}
==External links== * {{sports links}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Blake, Tanya}} Category:1971 births Category:Living people Category:Athletes from London Category:Maltese women middle-distance runners Category:Olympic athletes for Malta Category:English women middle-distance runners Category:British women middle-distance runners Category:English people of Maltese descent Category:English people of American descent Category:Naturalised citizens of Malta Category:Athletes (track and field) at the 2004 Summer Olympics Category:Athletes (track and field) at the 2001 Mediterranean Games Category:Commonwealth Games competitors for Malta Category:Athletes (track and field) at the 1998 Commonwealth Games Category:Mediterranean Games competitors for Malta Category:21st-century English sportswomen Category:20th-century English sportswomen Category:Arkansas Razorbacks women's track and field athletes