suffered knee and Achilles tendon problems, but on 27 August 2007 Nicola broke 50 seconds for the first time in her career, recording 49.77 seconds in the semi final of the 400 m at the World Athletics Championships in Osaka, Japan to move to #3 on the British all-time list. She then went on to finish 2nd in the final, behind fellow Briton, Christine Ohuruogu. Sanders set another personal best of 49.65, which puts her as the fourth fastest British athlete over 400 m, after Kathy Cook, Katharine Merry and Ohuruogu, who also set a personal best in the World Championship final. During the final day of the championships on 2 September, Sanders anchored the British 4 × 400 m team to a bronze medal. In so doing she became the first female UK runner to break 49 seconds for a 400 metres relay leg, with a time of 48.76 seconds, beating Sally Gunnell's previous record of 49.46 seconds. Sanders went out of the 400 m at the 2008 Summer Olympics in the third semi-final in a time of 50.71 seconds. With a tough lane draw, lane 9, and lacking the fitness that comes from an injury free run in to the season, Michael Johnson added, 'she's got a little bit more 800 metres look to me this year than she did last year, there's just not the power, the arm drive that we saw in 2007.' She was part of the 4 × 400 m relay team which finished fifth in the final although the team was later upgraded to bronze medal position following disqualification for doping offences of the teams finishing in second and fourth place. Charity In December 2011, Sanders was one of 12 British female sporting celebrities who posed for Clara Maidment a charity calendar in aid of Wellbeing of Women. Personal bests 400 metres – 49.65 (Osaka, Japan 2007) 400 meters hurdles – 55.32 (Melbourne, Australia 2006) Indoors 400 metres – 50.02 (Birmingham, England 2007) References External links Nicola Sanders interview profile thepowerof10 1982 births Living people Sportspeople from High Wycombe British female sprinters English female sprinters British female hurdlers English female hurdlers Olympic female sprinters Olympic athletes of Great Britain Athletes (track and field) at the 2008 Summer Olympics Commonwealth Games competitors for England Athletes (track and field) at the 2006 Commonwealth Games World Athletics Championships athletes for Great Britain World Athletics Championships medalists