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Robert McCall (figure skater)

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Robert McCall
Robert McCall and Tracy Wilson in 1985.
Full nameRobert McCall
Born(1958-09-14)September 14, 1958
Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
DiedNovember 15, 1991(1991-11-15) (aged 33)
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
Height1.75 m (5 ft 9 in)
Figure skating career
Country Canada
Skating clubHalifax SC
Retired1988
Medal record
Figure skating
Ice dancing
Representing  Canada
Olympic Games
Bronze medal – third place 1988 Calgary Ice dancing
World Championships
Bronze medal – third place 1986 Geneva Ice dancing
Bronze medal – third place 1987 Cincinnati Ice dancing
Bronze medal – third place 1988 Budapest Ice dancing

Robert "Rob" McCall, CM (September 14, 1958 – November 15, 1991) was a Canadian ice dancer. With partner Tracy Wilson, he was the 1988 Olympic bronze medallist.

Biography

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McCall was born in Halifax, Nova Scotia. He moved to Toronto when he teamed up with Tracy Wilson.

McCall competed with Marie McNeil early in his career. They were the 1975 Canadian novice silver medallists, 1977 Canadian junior national champions, 1978 & 1979 Canadian senior bronze medallists, 1980 silver medallists, and the 1981 national champions. They placed 13th at the 1980 World Figure Skating Championships and the 1981 World Figure Skating Championships.

Following that season, McCall teamed up with Tracy Wilson and skated with her until his death. They were the 1982-1988 Canadian national champions and three-time World bronze medallists. They placed 8th at the 1984 Winter Olympics and won the bronze medal at the 1988 Winter Olympics.

They turned professional in 1988 and skated professionally together. They toured with Stars On Ice,[1] and won the World Professional Figure Skating Championships in 1989.[2]

In 1988, Wilson and McCall were made a Member of the Order of Canada.

In March 1990, whilst in Portland, Maine, on tour with a show, McCall became critically ill with pneumonia. He was diagnosed with AIDS. Hoping to be able to continue to skate professionally in the United States (which then had restrictive immigration and customs laws barring persons with AIDS) he kept the nature of his illness secret [3] However, his health deteriorated and he died of AIDS-related brain cancer on November 15, 1991, at age 33.[4] It was an open secret that he was gay.[5]

In 2018 McCall was named one of the greatest 15 athletes in Nova Scotia's history.[6]

Results

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(with Marie McNeil)

Event 1976–77 1977–78 1978–79 1979–80 1980–81
World Championships 13th 13th
Canadian Championships 3rd 3rd 2nd 1st
Skate Canada International 8th 8th 3rd
World Junior Championships 3rd

(with Tracy Wilson)

Event 1981–82 1982–83 1983–84 1984–85 1985–86 1986–87 1987–88
Winter Olympic Games 8th 3rd
World Championships 10th 6th 6th 4th 3rd 3rd 3rd
Canadian Championships 1st 1st 1st 1st 1st 1st 1st
Skate Canada International 2nd 1st 1st

References

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  1. ^ Scott Hamilton, Landing It, Publisher: Kensington West ISBN 1-57566-466-6
  2. ^ 1989 World Professional Championships Archived 2010-12-02 at the Wayback Machine
  3. ^ Bondy, Filip (November 17, 1992), "FIGURE SKATING; AIDS Deaths Tear at Figure-Skating World", The New York Times, retrieved 2010-02-13
  4. ^ Wallechinsky, David; Jaime Loucky (2005). The Complete Book of the Winter Olympics, Toronto: Sport Classic Books. ISBN 1-894963-45-8
  5. ^ Hamilton, Scott; Lorenzo Benet (1999). Landing It: My Life On And Off The Ice. New York, NY: Kensington Books. ISBN 1-57566-466-6.
  6. ^ Tattrie, Jon (30 April 2018). "Sidney Crosby to headline 'greatest sports dinner' in Nova Scotia". CBC Sports. Retrieved 27 July 2018.
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