Madonna Mary Harris (née Gilchrist, born 15 August 1956) is a New Zealand multi-sportswoman who has competed for New Zealand at both the Summer and Winter Olympics. The only other New Zealander to compete at both Olympics is Chris Nicholson. At the

1988 Winter Olympics The 1988 Winter Olympics, officially known as the XV Olympic Winter Games (french: XVes Jeux olympiques d'hiver) and commonly known as Calgary 1988 ( bla, Mohkínsstsisi 1988; sto, Wîchîspa Oyade 1988 or ; cr, Otôskwanihk 1998/; srs, Guts� ...

at Calgary she came 40th in the 20 km free technique cross-country skiing event. She did not finish in the cycling road race at the

1988 Summer Olympics The 1988 Summer Olympics (), officially known as the Games of the XXIV Olympiad () and commonly known as Seoul 1988 ( ko, 서울 1988, Seoul Cheon gubaek palsip-pal), was an international multi-sport event held from 17 September to 2 October ...

, but in the race she pushed the pace until she had to withdraw with a puncture late in the race. At the

1990 Commonwealth Games The 1990 Commonwealth Games ( mi, 1990 Taumāhekeheke Commonwealth) were held in Auckland, New Zealand from 24 January – 3 February 1990. It was the 14th Commonwealth Games, and part of New Zealand's 1990 sesquicentennial celebrations. Partic ...

in Auckland, Harris won a gold medal in the 3000m individual pursuit, and came fourth in the 72 km road race. She was appointed a

Member of the Order of the British Empire The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is a British order of chivalry, rewarding contributions to the arts and sciences, work with charitable and welfare organisations, and public service outside the civil service. It was established o ...

in the 1990 Queen's Birthday Honours, for services to cycling. Born in

Hamilton Hamilton may refer to: People * Hamilton (name), a common British surname and occasional given name, usually of Scottish origin, including a list of persons with the surname ** The Duke of Hamilton, the premier peer of Scotland ** Lord Hamilt ...

, Harris was the Waikato pentathlon champion and represented New Zealand in athletics (400m hurdles) in 1977 and basketball in 1977–78. In 1978 she went on an athletics and basketball scholarship to

Utah State University Utah State University (USU or Utah State) is a public land-grant research university in Logan, Utah. It is accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities. With nearly 20,000 students living on or near campus, USU is Utah's ...

. She took up cross-country skiing and became a professional ski instructor. Then at 28 she slipped on ice while running, and only being able to ride for several weeks took up cycling. She decided to retire in 1992 before the Barcelona Olympics because of health problems, moved to a hobby farm south of Auckland, and took up the emerging sport of endurance horse racing.

References

Notes

* ''New Zealand’s Top 100 Sports History-Makers'' by Joseph Romanos p. 212 (2006 Trio Books, Wellington) * ''Black Gold'' by Ron Palenski p. 44,105 (2008, 2004 New Zealand Sports Hall of Fame, Dunedin)

External links

* 1956 births Living people New Zealand female cross-country skiers Olympic alpine skiers for New Zealand Cross-country skiers at the 1988 Winter Olympics Cyclists at the 1988 Summer Olympics Olympic cyclists for New Zealand New Zealand female cyclists Commonwealth Games gold medallists for New Zealand Cyclists at the 1990 Commonwealth Games Sportspeople from Hamilton, New Zealand New Zealand Members of the Order of the British Empire Commonwealth Games medallists in cycling 20th-century New Zealand women Medallists at the 1990 Commonwealth Games {{Crosscountry-skiing-bio-stub