(Photo Credit: Wikipedia)
Skate Canada confirmed on Saturday that the champion Canadian figure skater Toller Cranston has passed away.
Cranston died at age 65 in San Miguel, Mexico, a place he had lived for many years. He has long been considered a groundbreaking athlete in the sport, referred to by some people as a modern pioneer of artistic skating. Cranston was a six-time Canadian champion from 1971 to 1976, winning a bronze medal at the 1976 Olympics in Innsbruck when he was 26.
(Photo Credit: Canada's Sports Hall of Fame)
In 1976, Cranston was inducted into the Canadian Olympic Hall of Fame, and he made Canada's Sports Hall of Fame in 1977. That same year, Cranston was also made an Officer of the Order of Canada. In 1995, Cranston got a Special Olympic Order from the Canadian Olympic Association, and in 1997, he made the Skate Canada Hall of Fame.
After his skating career was finished, Cranston focused more on his painting career, for which he was as well known as for his skating.
“Skating has lost a true legend,” says Skate Canada.
*Cover Photo Credit: Canada's Walk of Fame*
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