Duff Gibson
Skeleton Athlete - Inducted 2009
Duff Gibson, at age 39, captured the public’s imagination with his gold medal victory at the 2006 Torino Winter Olympic Games. He set a record by becoming the oldest gold medalist for an individual event in the history of the Winter Olympics. Duff played many sports before taking up skeleton. He started with wrestling, then rowing. He followed those sports with speed skating, bobsleigh, and then skeleton where he accomplished his sporting success. Along with his Olympic gold medal, Duff won a World Championship gold medal in 2004 and followed that with a bronze medal finish in 2005. He was the 2004 World Cup Overall silver medalist and 2005 World Cup Overall bronze medalist. He won the Canadian Championship in 2002 and 2004.
A quiet leader on the Canadian skeleton team, Duff encouraged teamwork and collaboration to create a positive training environment. Two of his teammates finished in second and fourth place at the Torino Olympic Games. It was a great moment for Canadian skeleton and the Canadian Olympic team. Duff retired from skeleton after the 2006 Torino Games.
A firefighter by trade, Duff has also turned his winning attitude into becoming an advocate and spokesperson for the Canadian Blood Services. He is a role model for youth and is sharing his knowledge and skills as the National team coach for the sport of skeleton.
After Induction
2010 – Duff was named Head coach of Canada’s National Skeleton Program.
