Donald Gilchrist

Donald Hunter Gilchrist (January 2, 1922 – March 14, 2017) was a Canadian figure skater. As a pair skater with Marlene Smith, he became the 1949 North American silver medallist and a two-time Canadian national champion (1949–1950). He was a three-time national silver medallist in men's singles.

Donald Gilchrist
Full name	Donald Hunter Gilchrist
Born	(1922-01-02)January 2, 1922 Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Died	March 14, 2017(2017-03-14) (aged 95)
Figure skating career
Country	Canada
Partner	Marlene Smith Eleanor O'Meara
Skating club	Toronto Skating Club
Began skating	February 1928
Retired	c. 1950
Medal record Representing  Canada Figure skating: Pairs North American Championships 1949 Philadelphia Pairs

Personal life

Gilchrist was born on January 2, 1922, in Toronto. He graduated from the University of Toronto (Trinity) in 1950 and married Christiane Legier in 1952; the couple had three children: Nancy Ann, Donald, and Jean.^[1] He died at age 95 on March 14, 2017.^[2]

Career

Figure skating

Gilchrist began skating when he joined the Toronto Skating Club in February 1928.^[1] Competing in men's singles, he won silver at three consecutive Canadian Championships, from 1940 to 1942.

After a partnership with Eleanor O'Meara, he teamed up with Marlene Smith. The pair won two national titles (1949–1950) and silver at the 1949 North American Championships.

Gilchrist began judging international skating competitions in 1951.^[2] He judged at the 1952 Winter Olympics and at multiple World Championships (1952, 1959, 1964, 1967), and also served as a referee.^[3]

He was a substitute member of the International Skating Union (ISU) Single & Pair Skating Technical Committee (from 1953), a main member of the technical committee (1969–1971, 1973–1980), an ISU Council member (1980–1992), and an ISU Honorary Member (from 1992).^[3] He was inducted into the Canadian Figure Skating Hall of Fame in 1996.^[4]

Other

Gilchrist served as a marksman and captain in the Royal Canadian Army Service Corps during the 1940s.^[1] He worked for Canada's Department of Defence Production in Washington (1952 to the 1960s), as director general of the Trade Commissioner Service (from 1966), as a vice-president of the Canadian Commercial Corporation, as consul general in Los Angeles (from 1974), and as minister-counsellor at the embassy in the Netherlands (1982–1986).^[1]

Competitive highlights

Pairs with Smith

International
Event	1949	1950
World Championships		7th
North American Championships	2nd
National[5]
Canadian Championships	1st	1st

Pairs with O'Meara

National[5]
Event	1940
Canadian Championships	3rd

Men's singles

National[5]
Event	1937	1939	1940	1941	1942
Canadian Championships	3rd J	2nd J	2nd	2nd	2nd
J = Junior level