Lis Hartel – an extraordinary equestrian

Abstract

The aim of this article is to analyse the life story of the Danish equestrian Lis Hartel. Hartel was an international top rider as proven by her silver medals in the Olympic Games in 1952 and 1956. She was one of few women competing at this level in a gender-mixed sport, the first woman to win an Olympic medal in the dressage event, and the only equestrian competitor who had suffered from polio. She also developed therapeutic training methods that inspired others. To understand Hartel’s status as an extraordinary sportswoman, her extreme efforts, training methods and high level of performance must be contextualized. In this article, the analysis of her life story focuses on how her accomplishments challenged contemporary constructions of gender and the body, as well as how her public persona was negotiated. The analytical framework has been informed by insights from gender and disability studies and the new biography.