1987 World Athletics Championships: Fatima Whitbread

Before 1986, major championships had not been kind to Fatima Whitbread. Defeated with the final javelin throw of the 1983 World Championships by Tiina Lillak, there was more heartbreak to come at the hand of British rival Tessa Sanderson. Defeats at the 1984 Olympics and 1986 Commonwealth Games led inevitably to the bridesmaid tag being mentioned ad nauseum.

1987 Wimbledon: Boris Becker v Peter Doohan

Before 1987, the only pain Boris Becker had suffered at Wimbledon was during his third-round match against Bill Scanlon. Stretchered off court two after tearing ankle ligaments, the 16-year-old German exited the tournament in agonising circumstances.