Abigail McCluskey

Name of coach

Remmelt Eldering [national], NED; Shannon Rempel [national], CAN

www.facebook.com/AbigailMccluskey
twitter.com/abi_mccluskey

Hobbies	Crafting, spending time with her dog, baking. (Athlete, 09 Feb 2023; speedskating.ca, 03 Feb 2022)
Superstitions / Rituals / Beliefs	She puts new laces in her skates before every major competition. (Athlete, 09 Feb 2023)
Memorable sporting achievement	Qualifying for the 2020 World Single Distances Championships. (Athlete, 09 Feb 2023)

Reason for choosing this sport	She 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."

Sporting philosophy / motto	"The harder I work, the luckier I get." (Athlete, 17 Jan 2021)
Most influential person in career	Coach Nancy Goplen. (kelownadailycourier.ca, 28 Mar 2020)
Hero / Idol	Canadian speed skater Catriona Le May Doan. (speedskating.ca, 03 Feb 2022)
Other information	DEALING 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 honours	In 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)

Club / Team

Kelowna Speed Skating Club: Canada

Nicknames

Abbers, Gail (Athlete, 09 Feb 2023)