Bermuda, a self-governing British overseas territory in the western North Atlantic ocean, struck GOLD in the Tokyo Olympics earlier on Tuesday, as its triathlete Flora Duffy secured a stunning victory.
This is the first Olympic Gold for the country made up of an archipelago of 7 main islands and about 170 additional (named) islets and rocks, situated about 650 miles (1,050 km) east of Cape Hatteras (North Carolina, U.S.).
As The Guardian put it in its reporting of the victory, “The most glorious of rainbows formed over Rainbow Bridge in Tokyo early on Tuesday morning as the world’s greatest triathletes swam, pedalled and puffed their way around the Odaiba Marine Park. At the end of it, Bermuda discovered its first pot of Olympic gold.”
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Speaking after her impressive run to win the 10km race in 1 hr 55 min 36 sec-74 sec clear of Britain’s Georgia Taylor-Brown, Duffy said, “I think the whole [of] Bermuda is going crazy, that’s what makes it so special.”
Yes, wining Gold has been my dream, but also knew it was bigger than me, she went on to say.
The Triathlon is an endurance multisport race consisting of swimming, cycling, and running over various distances. Triathletes compete for fastest overall completion time, racing each segment sequentially with the time transitioning between the disciplines included.
Duffy had spent five years carrying the burden of being Olympic favourite as well as having her country’s sole hopes on her shoulders. No wonder she repeatedly uppercut the air in celebration as she crossed the line.
“It’s been a heck of a lot of pressure,” she said. “I would never recommend being an Olympic favourite for five years. But it is all worth it now.”
Flora Duffy’s win in the Olympic triathlon meant that the country she represents — Bermuda — is now the smallest in the world to win a gold medal at the Games.
Team Bermuda has entered only two athletes for the ongoing Tokyo Olympics; Flora Duffy (F) in Triathlon and Dara Alizadeh (M) in rowing.
Who is Flora Duffy?
Born and raised in Bermuda, Flora Duffy OBE started competing in triathlon at the age of seven and has since been twice crowned ITU World Champion, represented Bermuda at the London 2012 and Rio 2016 Olympic Games and won gold at the 2018 Commonwealth Games on the Gold Coast.
Today, Flora divides her time between homes in Boulder, Colorado and Stellenbosch, just outside of Cape Town, as well as Bermuda, when not travelling the world with the ITU World Triathlon Series.
After winning world titles in 2016 and 2017, Flora’s season was cut short in 2018 with a foot injury suffered during WTS Yokohama – a race she went on to win. That followed victory in the first-ever WTS Bermuda – in which she led right from the swim all the way to the finish line to the delight of her legions of fans on the island – but halted her title defence as she was forced to withdraw from the season after WTS Hamburg.
On 17 November 2018, Flora Duffy received the Order of the British Empire by Prince Charles. The OBE was awarded for her services to triathlon in Bermuda and the world.
Highlights:
– World Champion 2016 and 2017
– Winner 2018 Commonwealth Games Gold Coast
Winner WTS Yokohama 2018
– Winner WTS Bermuda 2018
– Winner 2017 ITU World Triathlon Edmonton
– Winner 2017 ITU World Triathlon Leeds
– Winner 2017 ITU World Triathlon Hamburg
– Winner 2017 ITU World Triathlon Yokohama
– Winner 2016 Snowy Mountains ITU Cross Triathlon World Championships
– Winner 2015 and 2016 2016 ITU Cross Triathlon World Championships
– 8th place Rio 2016 Olympic Games
– Olympic Champion at Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games
FLORA DUFFY 🇧🇲 IS OUR NEW OLYMPIC CHAMPION!
What a run from the Bermudian to take the tape by over a minute & win the #Tokyo2020 gold she craved.
Georgia Taylor-Brown 🇬🇧 overcomes a late puncture to earn silver, Katie Zaferes 🇺🇸 with bronze!#Tokyo2020Triathlon #Triathlon pic.twitter.com/dkWQUA8lbB— World Triathlon (@worldtriathlon) July 26, 2021
Nnamdi Maduakor is a Writer, Investor and Entrepreneur
