Although she competed in her first international at age 17, she remained ambivalent about turning professional and only gave up her day job seven years later to fully commit herself.

At the 1998 European Indoor Championships in Valencia, Spain, Hansen won the gold medal with a world record jump of 15.16m.

Hansen won her first major outdoor gold at the 1998 Commonwealth Games in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia with a jump of 14.32m.

[citation needed] She was hoping to make the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing but was unable to regain fitness in time and announced her retirement in July 2008.

[6][7] Hansen was appointed a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in the 2003 New Year Honours for services to athletics.