Christina “Chris” McKenzie, a world-record-holding runner and beloved coach known for her resilience and determination, passed away on April 17, 2025, at the age of 93.
Her son, Ricki Dash, shared the heartbreaking news on Facebook, writing,
“Adam’s post about his mom. She was a very impressive lady. Rest in peace ❤️🩹❤️🩹❤️🩹❤️🩹
Via Facebook
My Mum passed away last night at the age of 93. She ran her final lap. As most of you know she had an extraordinary life. She was an amazing woman. She was the best Mum and Wife. She was a World Record Holder in the 880yd run.
She was an amazing Coach to so many of the kids that grew up in Great Neck.
I will keep everyone posted about arrangements.
Chris’s death is a sad end to an amazing life.
She showed great strength, achieved many athletic successes, and was dedicated to her family and community in Great Neck, New York.
Born Maud Slemon in London in 1931 to father George and Kate, Chris was the second of five girls in a tight-knit family.
Her early years were shaped by the chaos of World War II.
The Slemon family home was destroyed multiple times by German bombings, forcing them to move from shelter to shelter.
One haunting memory stayed with Chris forever: during a rare lunch at home, a bomb struck her schoolyard, killing several classmates.
The war left scars, but it also built her strength.
As a child, Chris found joy in movement. She loved to dance, dreaming of ballet lessons her family couldn’t afford.
Her father eventually allowed her to pursue dance, and she amazed others with her grace and courage.
But at a young age, Chris faced a devastating diagnosis: osteomyelitis, a rare bone infection in her right leg.
Doctors fitted her with a brace from waist to ankle and warned she might never walk without it. Running seemed impossible.
Enter Anne Stone, A Former Runner And Family Friend Who Saw Something Special In Young Maud
Anne, a distinguished 400- and 800-meter runner in the 1920s, recognized a spark in Maud that mirrored her own.
She began a rigorous physical therapy program to rebuild Maud’s strength.
They worked hard for three years. By 1947, at age 16, Maud shed the brace and took her first steps unassisted.
Then, with Anne’s encouragement, she began to run.
Anne introduced Maud to cross-country races, a sport rare for women at the time.
In her first race, Maud placed sixth and won a medal—a moment that lit a fire in her.
Despite her family’s disapproval of her running in shorts, Maud’s passion couldn’t be stopped.
She joined Mitchum AC and later Selsonia Ladies, coached by Reg Bale, Anne’s widower.
Reg first called her “Chris” after her middle name, Christina, feeling “Maud” didn’t suit an athlete. The name stuck, and Chris McKenzie was born.
In 1947, she represented County Surrey in a cross-country meet in Scotland. Her skills caught the eye of coaches and sports writers alike.
By 1953, she was invited to compete in a 3 x 880-yard relay at a Britain vs. France meet at White City Stadium in London, aiming for a world record.
There, she met Gordon McKenzie, an American distance runner from New York who was instantly smitten. Gordon, timing her race, boldly approached her afterward, saying,
“Excuse me, Miss Slemon, but I think they announced your time incorrectly. I got you in 2:10.2.” Chris, barefoot and holding her blister-causing spikes, fired back, “Are you an American? Because Americans are never wrong.” That spirited exchange sparked a romance that changed her life.
At the time, Chris was engaged to a cricket player who disapproved of her running.
But Gordon, a fellow athlete who understood her passion, was different.
She broke off her engagement, and after an intense trans-Atlantic courtship, Chris moved to America in March 1955.
She and Gordon married seven months later in a Bronx church, surrounded by fellow runners.
In 1962, Chris and Gordon settled in Great Neck, New York, where they raised their three children—Tina, Adam, and Stuart—all of whom graduated from Great Neck North High School.
Gordon, a civil engineer, worked for the City of New York, while Chris poured her energy into her family and community.
Both were accomplished athletes: Gordon competed in the 10,000 meters at the 1956 Olympics and the marathon at the 1960 Olympics, and he was an AAU cross-country champion in 1954.
Together, they joined inclusive track clubs—Chris with the Police Athletic League and Gordon with the New York Pioneers—rejecting organizations that excluded Black or Jewish athletes.
The couple retired from competitive running in 1964 but never left the sport behind.
In the 1970s, they founded and coached the Great Neck CYO and PAL track teams.
Chris became a beloved figure, coaching kids with boundless energy and creativity.
Even in her 80s, she would lie on the long jump take-off board, urging young athletes to leap over her—a fearless testament to her spirit.
Chris Continued Running As A Master’s Competitor, Setting Multiple World Records and Earning Accolades
Chris continued running as a master’s competitor, setting multiple world records and earning accolades.
In 1980, she was awarded Best Female Performance at the Masters Olympics.
The following year, she was named Runner of the Month by Island Wide Runner and Athlete of the Year by the US Masters Association.
In 1984, Great Neck honored her as the Grand Dame of the community, recognizing her extraordinary contributions.
Chris coached PAL track until she was 90, inspiring generations of athletes with her grit and warmth.
Chris’s greatest joy was her family.
She and Gordon, who passed away in 2013 at the age of 86, shared a love story rooted in mutual respect and shared passions.
Their three children and seven grandchildren—Sean, Kate, Gordon, Alex, Maggie, Kallie, and Andrew—were the heart of her world.
“She was the best Mum and Wife,” Ricki wrote, a sentiment echoed by all who knew her.
Chris McKenzie’s death at 93 closes a chapter on a life that defied expectations.
From a war-torn childhood to a world-record-setting career, she ran through every challenge with courage and grace.
Her legacy lives on in the athletes she coached, the community she shaped, and the family she cherished.
As Ricki shared, “She ran her final lap.” But for those who knew her, Chris’s spirit will keep running forever.
