Slowtwitch.com’s Timothy Carlson published a Question and Answer article on Bermuda’s Flora Duffy.
Duffy has been through a lot in her 25 years, was a running and triathlon star at age 8.
Ten years later she finished 8th at the 2006 Commonwealth Games in just her second Olympic distance triathlon.
After several top 10 finishes in ITU World Cup competition, she qualified for the 2008 Olympics. But beset with an eating disorder, she fell into a spiral of fatigue, injury and depression and did not finish at Beijing and left the sport. In a remarkable comeback guided by a patient coach, supportive family and encouraging friends at the University of Colorado, she regained her health, her competitive zeal and perspective. Along the way, she rejoined the elite ranks of her sport.
Today www.islandstats.com brings you part one of the article.
Slowtwitch: What was it like growing up in Bermuda?
A. Flora Duffy: Bermuda is probably the coolest place in which to grow up and live. I spent my childhood on the beach. It’s beautiful. You don’t really appreciate that beauty until you leave. I went to boarding school in England and I immediately felt: ‘Get me home!’ I truly fell in love with Bermuda then. England was rain. It was cold. It wasn't by the sea. I just missed my pink sand beaches.
Slowtwitch:: How did you start out as an athlete?
A. Flora Duffy: I was in a swim club and did an Iron Kids triathlon when I was eight. I won my age group and totally fell in love with the sport and joined a local triathlon club, Tri Heads. I had great friends and had a lot of fun. We did triathlon training every Saturday morning. I am still in touch -- Neil de Ste. Croix, the Tri Heads’ coach, came to London to watch me in the Olympics.
Slowtwitch:: Were your parents and siblings athletic?
A. Flora Duffy: My mom Maria is definitely in shape now. We go to the gym together and she looks great! I am a two-time Olympian and I look chubby next to my mom. LAUGHS. My dad Charlie is a pretty good runner. Only recently I learned he has run a sub 3 hour marathon. My youngest brother Campbell is really into sailing. My older brother Joel was always a good runner and swimmer. But he is really good at soccer.
Slowtwitch: What were your early sports?
A. Flora Duffy: At primary school and middle school cross country meets I would always win. Now there is a lot of news about me in triathlon. But if you ask people in Bermuda even now they will tell you I’m a runner.
Slowtwitch: And when you were older?
A. Flora Duffy: For four years, I went on athletic scholarship to boarding school at Kelly College in Devon, England -- a tiny little town. I was this little girl from Bermuda and thrust into this posh boarding school. And so it was definitely a huge change and probably the best decision I made. It was a big swimming school – and they also had a little triathlon team. There were four of us and I really developed as a triathlete there.
