Robert Pitcairn (athlete)

Early Life and Career

Robert Pitcairn was born on June 26, 1938. He served as a pilot in the Royal Canadian Air Force and later became a commercial airline pilot.

Introduction to Shooting

Pitcairn was introduced to shooting as an Air Force cadet in 1960. However, he could not dedicate enough time to compete properly until his retirement in 1998.

Competitive Career

Pitcairn competed in full bore shooting events and won several provincial, national, and international awards for shooting large-caliber rifles. He trained in preparation for the 2002 Commonwealth Games but narrowly missed out on qualification. He made his Commonwealth debut at the age of 79 years and 9 months on April 9, 2018, at the Commonwealth Games.

Notable Achievement

Pitcairn became the oldest competitor to ever make their debut at a Commonwealth Games event. He competed alongside teammate Nicolas Rossignol in the Queen's Prize event, where he scored the most points at both 900 and 1,000 yards. However, the pair only took eighth place.

Personal Life

Pitcairn later settled in Chilliwack, BC, after being raised in Summerside, PEI. He passed away on March 4, 2022.

Note: I corrected "Nicole Rossignol" to "Nicolas Rossignol" as per SOURCE 1.