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| Full name | Christopher Paul MacDonald | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Born | 8 January 1960 Auckland, New Zealand | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Sport | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Country | New Zealand | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Sport | Canoe racing | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Event | canoe sprint | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Partner | Ian Ferguson | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Medal record
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Christopher Paul MacDonald MBE (born 8 January 1960) is a New Zealand sprint canoeist who competed from the mid-1980s to the early 1990s. He is widely regarded as one of New Zealand's most successful international athletes and holds innumerable international speed records in canoeing.
MacDonald had experience in surf lifesaving when he started kayaking in the late 1970s.[1]
Competing in three Summer Olympics, MacDonald won five medals. This included three golds (K-2 500 m: 1984, 1988; K-4 1000 m: 1984), one silver (K-2 1000 m: 1988), and one bronze (K-1 500 m: 1988). His five Olympic medals is the record for the second most Olympic medals won by a New Zealander, a record he shares with fellow canoeist Ian Ferguson, and equestrian Mark Todd.[2]
He also won six medals at the ICF Canoe Sprint World Championships with three golds (K-1 500 m: 1987, K-2 500 m: 1985, K-2 1000 m: 1987) and three silvers (K-2 500 m: 1982, 1987, K-2 10000 m: 1990).
In retirement from professional competition, MacDonald has produced many television sports events and programmes including Clash of the Codes (the ultimate sporting challenge) and annually presents the Dragon Boat Festival.
In the 1988 New Year Honours, MacDonald was appointed a Member of the Order of the British Empire, for services to canoeing.[3]
- ^ "Paul MacDonald". New Zealand Olympic Committee. Retrieved 10 August 2024.
- ^ "Sir Mark Todd overcome with emotion at prospect of sixth Olympic equestrian medal". stuff.co.nz. Retrieved 10 August 2016.
- ^ "No. 51173". The London Gazette (3rd supplement). 31 December 1987. p. 34.