Photos: Flora Duffy Wins Gold At Commonwealth
Bermuda’s Flora Duffy entered the Commonwealth Games as the medal favourite, and delivered on all expectations, defeating the world class field to capture the Commonwealth Games gold medal.
Duffy broke away on the run, and grabbed a Bermuda flag from the crowd as she approached the finish line where her winning time of 56.50 earned her Bermuda’s second-ever gold medal in Commonwealth Games, the first by a Bermudian woman, and the first Commonwealth medal for Bermuda in 20 years.
Duffy didn't just see claim the first gold of the 2018 games on the Gold Coast this morning, but it was also the first ever Comm Games women's gold for Bermuda. pic.twitter.com/9jqBbGuJKW
— Davidde Corran (@DaviddeCorran) April 5, 2018
The official Games website said, “Women’s triathlon favourite Flora Duffy lived up to her pre-race billing to claim the first gold medal of the Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games at Southport Broadwater Parklands on Thursday 5 April.
“The World No.1 finished in a time of 56 minutes and 50 seconds, with England’s Jessica Learmonth claiming silver, 43 seconds behind, and Canada’s Joanna Brown taking bronze a further five seconds later.
“I came in the favourite so that adds its own pressure. For me it was personal, I wanted to do well,” Duffy said.
“I’m tired, Jess [Learmonth] was phenomenal. I held onto her, we work well together, we race so often together that we have an understanding.
In windy conditions, Learmonth led from the start of the swim and was out of the water in at time of 9:04, with Duffy six seconds and Australia’s Gillian Bachkhouse a further 24 seconds back. But it wasn’t long until Duffy, the reigning world champion, caught Learmonth on the bike, with both of them transitioning to the run in 39:23 – a pack of nine athletes were more than one minute behind.
And that is where the 30-year-old Duffy, who won six out of seven races on the international circuit last year, kicked away, opening a 29-second gap on the first lap before finishing with plenty of time to spare and the Bermuda flag draped over her shoulders.
She said, “I am getting used to the pressure – from 2016 [winning the ITU World Championships] I had to get used to it, it is the space in which I am. There will be media and people watching me, so I just try to forget about it and do my thing – I’ve always dreamed of this so I can’t let it get to me.
“I am from a tiny country with not a lot of medallists so I am expected to win. I try to forget about it because I do it every week, so that’s how I deal with the pressure.”
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Amazing.
No comments.
Still puzzled.
Well deserved with all your years of training and dedication.
Can’t wait for the parade.
Not difficult to comprehend- It’s the same with sailing – many Bermudians simply don’t rate the event highly .
Triathlons are in league with Decathlon’s – the best athletes simply don’t compete in them.
However, I applaud the achievement. Congrats!
Hey Flora, you’ve gotten awfully good at this! Congratulations!
we have a new hero for heroes day at last
What a great achievement, congratulations .Hard work does pay off…
Awesome Flora! Great to hear! Hard work and dedications pays off.