Gary Anderson (cyclist)

{{Infobox cyclist

| name = Gary Anderson

| honorific_suffix = {{post-nominals|country=NZL|size=100%|MBE}}

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| fullname = Gary John Anderson

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1967|9|18|df=yes}}

| birth_place = London, England

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{{MedalCountry | {{NZL}} }}

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Gary John Anderson {{post-nominals|country=NZL|size=85%|MBE}} (born 18 September 1967) is a former track and road cyclist from New Zealand who won an Olympic bronze medal and three Commonwealth Games gold medals.{{cite Sports-Reference |url=https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/an/gary-anderson-1.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200418031424/https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/an/gary-anderson-1.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=18 April 2020 |title=Gary Anderson Olympic Results |access-date=8 July 2016}}

Cycling career

Anderson attended four Olympics. He finished third in the 4000m pursuit at the 1992 Olympic Games in Barcelona, Spain, and achieved the following placings at his other games:

1988 Seoul (4000m Ind. Pursuit): 7th
1996 Atlanta (4000m Ind. Pursuit): 13th
2000 Sydney (4000m Ind. Pursuit): 6th

Anderson won eight medals at the Commonwealth Games, including three golds at the 1990 Commonwealth Games in Auckland.

In the 1990 Queen's Birthday Honours, Anderson was appointed a Member of the Order of the British Empire, for services to cycling.{{London Gazette |issue=52174 |date=16 June 1990 |page=30}} He was also awarded the New Zealand 1990 Commemoration Medal.{{cite book |last1=Taylor |first1=Alister |last2=Coddington |first2=Deborah |author-link1=Alister Taylor |author-link2=Deborah Coddington |title=Honoured by the Queen – New Zealand |year=1994 |publisher=New Zealand Who's Who Aotearoa |location=Auckland |isbn=0-908578-34-2 |page=46}}

Anderson raced with a heart defect which could make his heart race under stress. He was in top form prior to the 1998 Commonwealth Games in Kuala Lumpur but was injured in a crash and instead commentated for Television New Zealand. After returning for his final Games in Sydney he turned to coaching and managing.

Personal life

In 1999 while at the New Zealand National track cycling championships, Anderson was involved in an altercation with a member of the Ulysses Motorcycle Club. This resulted in an inquiry by Cycling New Zealand into the matter.{{cite web |title=Kiwi in brawl |url=http://autobus.cyclingnews.com/results/1999/mar99/mar15.shtml |website=autobus.cyclingnews.com |access-date=9 January 2023 |date=15 March 1999}}