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Abigail McCluskey

Canada

SportSpeed Skating
FederationIDSSCAN22607199601
NOCCanada
Born26 Jul 1996 in  Penticton
GenderWomen
ResidenceCalgary, AB, CAN
OccupationAthlete
LanguagesEnglish
Personal Bests
EventRecordDateLocation 
Personal Bests
  Event RecordDateLocation 
    500m 39.09 03 Jan 2020 Calgary  
    1000m 1:15.60 04 Jan 2020 Calgary  
    1500m 1:55.19 16 Feb 2020 Salt Lake City, UT  
    3000m 4:03.84 07 Feb 2020 Calgary  
    5000m 7:09.11 18 Mar 2023 Calgary  
Sport Specific Information
Sport Specific Information
Name of coachRemmelt Eldering [national], NED; Shannon Rempel [national], CAN  
Social Media
Social Media
www.facebook.com/AbigailMccluskey  
twitter.com/abi_mccluskey  
General Interest
General Interest
HobbiesCrafting, spending time with her dog, baking. (Athlete, 09 Feb 2023; speedskating.ca, 03 Feb 2022)  
Superstitions / Rituals / BeliefsShe puts new laces in her skates before every major competition. (Athlete, 09 Feb 2023)  
Memorable sporting achievementQualifying for the 2020 World Single Distances Championships. (Athlete, 09 Feb 2023)  
Sport Specific Information
Sport Specific Information
Reason for choosing this sportShe was inspired to start skating after watching the 2010 Olympic Winter Games in Vancouver. "I needed a change after playing ringette and [ice] hockey for eight years so I thought I'd try speed skating."  
When and where did you begin this sport?She began skating in Kelowna, BC, Canada. She got involved in short track at age 14, and took up speed skating at age 16. "I was born and raised in Penticton. When I was 14, I decided I wanted to start speed skating and the closest club was in Kelowna. Grade 10 and 11 [training] was twice a week and by grade 12, I was up there three days a week until I graduated high school. And then I moved to Calgary."  
General Interest
General Interest
Sporting philosophy / motto"The harder I work, the luckier I get." (Athlete, 17 Jan 2021)  
Most influential person in careerCoach Nancy Goplen. (kelownadailycourier.ca, 28 Mar 2020)  
Hero / IdolCanadian speed skater Catriona Le May Doan. (speedskating.ca, 03 Feb 2022)  
Other informationDEALING WITH NERVES
She has trouble controlling her nerves ahead of competitions. "I struggle with nerves quite a bit. I've always struggled with it. Forever. I have a tendency to puke before races from being so nervous. I've accepted it at this point [speaking in 2020]. I've gotten used to it, but I'm still working at trying to fix it a little bit. There's a lot of nerves involved. I'm still learning how to be around the cameras and not getting spooked by the bigger names in the sport." (globalnews.ca, 05 Feb 2021; kelownadailycourier.ca, 28 Mar 2020)
 
Awards and honoursIn 2019 and 2020 she was named Female Long Track Speed Skater of the Year - National by the British Columbia Speed Skating Association in Canada. She also received the award at provincial level in 2016 and 2017. (speedskatingbc.ca, 01 Jan 2022)  
Sport Specific Information
Sport Specific Information
Club / TeamKelowna Speed Skating Club: Canada  
General Interest
General Interest
NicknamesAbbers, Gail (Athlete, 09 Feb 2023)  
Championships results
Year Competition Event Rank  
Championships results
    2022/2023 Four Continents Championships Team Sprint3  
    2023/2024 World Single Distances Championships 1500m15  
    2023/2024 World Allround Championships Allround15  
    2020/2021 World Single Distances Championships 3000m18  
    2019/2020 World Single Distances Championships 1500m19  
    2020/2021 World Single Distances Championships 1500m21  
    2019/2020 World Sprint Championships Overall21  
    2019/2020 World Single Distances Championships 1000m24  
World Cups
Year Competition Event Rank  
World Cups
    2020/2021 World Cup Classification 3000m18  
    2020/2021 World Cup Classification 1500m26  
    2020/2021 World Cup Classification 500m27  
    2023/2024 World Cup Classification 1500m34  
    2022/2023 World Cup Classification 3000/5000m35  
    2023/2024 World Cup Classification 3000/5000m36  
    2019/2020 World Cup Classification 3000/5000m45  
    2021/2022 World Cup Classification 3000/5000m46  
    2019/2020 World Cup Classification 1500m48  
    2021/2022 World Cup Classification 1500m49  
    2023/2024 World Cup Classification 1000m52  
    2019/2020 World Cup Classification 1000m53