MACDONALD, Monica

BORN MAY 5TH 1967, she began skating at the Homebush ice rink in Sydney for her birthday, became a student of Barbara Clarke when she was nearly 12, and later attended Macarthur Girls High School. MacDonald went on to become a seven-time Australian National Ice Dance champion, and competed at seven World Championships between 1986 and 1992, the first three with Rodney Clarke, and the last four with Duncan Smart. A World and International competitor from 1984 to 1992, with Clarke she became the first Australian ice dancer to medal at an international event.

Limited to public transport, she trained for ten hours a week. In England with Clarke, she met childhood idols Torvill and Dean, watched them compete at the British Championships, and became a fan of Robin Cousins. "My first goal was to make it to Junior Worlds, so I focused very strongly on what it would take to achieve that. Once we had competed at our first Junior Worlds, the goal then changed to moving up the rankings at the next one, to then go on to compete at Worlds. And then once that goal was reached it was all about making the Olympic Team". [1]

The first Australian ice dancer to represent Australia at the Olympics, MacDonald placed 20th at the 1988 Winter Games in Calgary, Canada, with Rodney Clarke. She was 20. After retiring from competition around 1992, she pursued a career in coaching singles and ice dance, and as a Technical Specialist for Ice Dance with the International Skating Union. "It was a difficult transition from competing to coaching as I had hoped to continue competing for another two years when my last partnership broke up. However, I have found the coaching a very rewarding experience, both personally and professionally". [1]

MacDonald produced international skaters at the Novice, Junior and Senior levels in Ice Dance, Singles, and Senior International Synchronised, taking skaters from their first steps on ice through to World Championships. Her students have competed in Gold Medallists, Skate Down Under, International Novice, Junior and Senior International events, Junior Grand Prix, World Junior Championships, Four Continents, World Figure Skating Championships, the 2012 Inaugural Youth Winter Olympic Games, and the Asian Winter Games.

In 2011, MacDonald developed the proposal for the ISU's first Asia-Pacific Ice Dance Camp in Korea and later moderated it. A National Technical Specialist for Singles, she moderated at the ISU Frankfurt seminar for technical specialists, and the ISU also invited her to present at its first Youth Seminar in Frankfurt. She has helped the skating skills and step sequences of US National Champions, and the technical requirements of Canadian National Ice Dance Champions.

Daughter Chantelle Kerry competed in the 2012 Inaugural Youth Winter Olympic Games and represents Australia at the World Level in Ice Dance with Andrew Dodds. Son Brendan Kerry is a two-time Winter Olympian at 2014 Sochi and 2018 PyeongChang, and daughter Lilly (Yan) trained in the Elite Development Program in Sydney. MacDonald stepped down from the Ice Dance Technical Panel for the 2014 Winter Olympic Games after her son qualified to represent Australia in the Mens singles event.

She also coached Australian Olympians, Danielle O'Brien and Gregory Merriman, and Matilda Friend and William Badaoui. In 2008, she said "I have worked with a number of talented ice dance couples, but have to say my most rewarding experience has been with Danielle and Gregory". [1]

Married to ISU coach John Dunn, in 2019 MacDonald is still a coach and choreographer of Ice Dance, and Ladies and Mens singles, at Evolution on Ice PT, which she founded with John in 2012. An elected member of the Australian Figure Skating Hall of Fame, MacDonald's figure skating career is fast approaching a fourth decade.

Freedance with Rodney Clarke, 1988 Winter Olympics