Incredible 85-year first in never-before-seen Olympics moment
Flora Duffy has won Bermuda's first gold medal in Olympics history in an extraordinary never-before-seen moment in Tokyo.
Duffy delivered a dominating run leg to convincingly triumph in the womenβs triathlon on a stormy day in Tokyo on Tuesday.
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The 33-year-old was part of a group of seven who broke clear at the start of the 40km bike leg.
However she then stamped her authority on the race with a fantastic performance over the 10km run to finish in one hour, 53.36 minutes.
It marks Bermuda's first gold medal at the Olympics since they first sent athletes to the Games in 1936.
The tiny island nation with a population of 64,000 has participated at every Olympics since (excluding 1980 when they boycotted the Moscow Games), without experiencing the joy of winning gold.
Until now.
It is also Bermuda's second Olympic medal, following a bronze at the 1976 Games.
The incredible scenes sent social media into meltdown.
Congratulations @floraduffy. You've worked so hard and you've made an entire island proud! π₯π§π² πͺπΌ pic.twitter.com/ScG1AW0A5G
β Premier David Burt (@BermudaPremier) July 26, 2021
Definitely teary eyed! So awesome. Such determination. Inspiring
β Edderosa (@Edderosa3) July 26, 2021
All of Bermuda is smiling right now.π§π²π§π²π§π²π§π²
β Al (@MidoceanAl) July 27, 2021
π§π²π§π²π§π²π§π²π§π². We are beyond proud!!!!!!!
β βοΈ Whitley Carey βοΈ (@sa_savory) July 26, 2021
inspiring! First sport I've properly got into these games, was so exciting.
well deserved Duffy!!β Blue_Space_Twink π΄σ §σ ’σ ³σ £σ ΄σ ΏπͺπΊ (@twink_space) July 26, 2021
Wow! First ever gold medal for Bermuda!!! Congratulations, Flora Duffy! π₯
β K Walker ααα―α (@KWalker1975) July 26, 2021
Respect to Bermuda for their first ever Olympic Gold! This is why I love the Olympics! πππ
β tenbob π (@davetenbob68) July 26, 2021
Flora Duffy, oh my god! https://t.co/QTSfrFRbEC
β alexander moreau (@moreauax) July 26, 2021
Georgia Taylor-Brown of Great Britain overcame a flat tyre near the end of the bike leg to chase back and take silver, 74 seconds behind.
Katie Zaferes won bronze for the United States.
Weightlifter wins first gold medal for Philippines
Duffy's historic moment came less than 24 hours after weightlifter Hidilyn Diaz won the Philippines' first gold medal.
Diaz made history on Monday when she became the first athlete from the Philippines to win Olympic gold.
The 30-year-old, who win silver in Rio five years ago, realised her dream in the women's 55kg class at the Tokyo International Forum, smashing her personal best to see off world record holder Liao Qiuyun of China who had to settle for silver.
With Liao setting a target of 223kg, just 4kg shy of her own world record, Diaz was faced with a final clean and jerk of 127kg to win - a full 5kg more than she had ever achieved in competition.
With a massive effort she hoisted the huge Olympic record weight and the tears of joy began to flow even before she dropped the bar to the floor after a triumphant effort.
Liao took the silver, with Kazakhstan's Zulfiya Chinshanlo the bronze 10kg adrift of the top two.
"It's unbelievable, it's a dream, come true," Diaz told AFP moments after the Philippines Air Force woman shed more tears on the podium as she saluted her flag and sung the national anthem.
"I want to say to the young generation in the Philippines, 'You can have this dream of gold too'.
"This is how I started and finally I was able to do it."
Diaz was already assured a place in her country's sporting folklore, alongside the likes of boxing icon Manny Pacquiao, as the only woman from the sprawling archipelago ever to win an Olympic medal.
Her surprise silver five years ago broke a 20-year medal drought for the Philippines.
with agencies
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