Inspired by their father, a national champion in the 18-foot class, Tom Anderson and his twin brother John started out sailing Flying Dutchman together. Their ways eventually split, but both of them made it to the Olympics, yet in separate boats. At the 1972 Games, Tom was in the Dragon crew, while John sailed in the Star. Both of them excelled on the water at Kiel, and they each won an Olympic gold medal, the only time sailing twins won a gold medal on the same day, in different boats. Tom, whose other successes include two wins in the Prince Phillip Cup (Dragon), quit after the Olympics to found his own plumbing business. He became the father of twins himself. His son Brad and his daughter Elise both took up sailing as well, and they competed in the 1991 World Junior Championships.