Donald McPherson | The Canadian Encyclopedia

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Donald McPherson

Donald McPherson, figure skater (b at Windsor, Ont 20 Feb 1945). World figure-skating champion in 1963, McPherson was the first Canadian to win the Canadian, North American and world championships in the same year.

Donald McPherson, figure skater (b at Windsor, Ont 20 Feb 1945). World figure-skating champion in 1963, McPherson was the first Canadian to win the Canadian, North American and world championships in the same year. He competed in the 1960 Squaw Valley, California, Olympics at age 15, and at 18 was the youngest man to win the world title. Not strong in compulsory figures, McPherson performed free-skating routines that were brilliant and near-perfect. After the 1963 competitions, he retired from amateur competition. He skated for 11 years with a professional ice show and won the 1975 world professional title.