Duffy: ‘I can make Bermuda proud’

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Flora Duffy’s preparations for the London Games couldn’t be more different from four years ago.

The Bermuda triathlete went to Beijing low on confidence after suffering an alarming loss of form due to fatigue problems and failed to finish.

This time around, Duffy heads to London hoping to at least challenge for honours and, if her recent displays are anything to go by, a podium finish might not be out of reach.

“I have some goals for London and some expectations based on my recent results, but it’s the Olympics and anything can happen,” she said.

“You don’t have any idea what it’s like until you’ve been to an Olympics, you can’t compare it to anything else as you have to deal with the added pressure and still try to perform.

“I’m feeling positive, I think I can have a good one and ideally I want to swim into the front group which I should do as I’ve been doing that all season.

“I think my chances of doing well are very high but you never really know how the race will go. I don’t want to say anything crazy, so I’m keeping my expectations in check although I’m confident I can make Bermuda proud.”

Last weekend, the 24-year-old finished an impressive third at the International Triathlon Union (ITU) World Cup event in Edmonton, Canada in her final race before the Olympics.

It was the latest in a long-line of scintillating displays by Duffy, who qualified for the Games in style with a maiden win on the World Cup circuit in Huatulco, Mexico in May.

“I was really happy with the result, it was a hard race and it seems as though things are going in the right direction. It was a good confidence boost and I’m really motivated to do well in London,” said Duffy, who took the professional triathlon scene by storm in 2006 when still a teenager with a series of superb performances.

“The season started slowly for me but things have been really picking up since May. I was a little worried coming into the season as I didn’t run all winter because I was injured, so it’s been a gradual build-up with me playing catch-up.”

After her chastening experience in Beijing, Duffy took a two-year hiatus before returning to competition and has gradually rebuilt her confidence.

And having enjoyed her best ever season, she fully expects to carry on her rich vein of form in London and put to bed the demons that still haunt her four years on.

“It’s totally the opposite of how things were before Beijing. I’m in a totally different place to when I was heading into Beijing both mentally and physically, thank goodness.

“I’m still pretty young in the sport and could potentially do another two Olympics’ after London. I’m definitely looking to improve on my Beijing experience which should be pretty easy to do.”

Duffy freely admits she fell out of love with triathlon after her DNF in China but has rediscovered her passion and drive for the sport along the road to recovery.

“It was about finding that love again and giving my body a chance to rest and get better,” she said. “Since 2010 it’s been a gradual build-up for London and whatever success we’ve had along the way was great.

“I’ve just been getting better and better this season and I’m finally showing glimpses (of the form) when I first started to race.

“I’ve competed against most of the girls before so in some ways it’s like ‘okay, it’s just another race’ and there are less girls in it than a normal World Cup, so it’s a piece of cake, right?”

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