DUFFY Flora

General
EYES ON TOKYO
She says aiming for a medal at the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo has helped her overcome injuries. "2020 was supposed to be my year. It's been the most prepared I was for an Olympics, the most well-supported I was, and the most confident I was going into a Games. And then it all changed [due to the COVID-19 pandemic]. I had envisioned 2021 to look completely different, obviously still racing but in a much more relaxed way. The past few years for me have been pretty challenging, I overcame a near career-ending injury and something that got me through that was the Tokyo Olympics. That was always my goal, ever since I was a little girl, to medal at the Olympics. So even in my darkest times, I just thought to myself, 'I can't give up'." (triathlete.com, 07 Jul 2021; Specialized Bicycles Facebook page, 06 Aug 2020)

ANAEMIA
In 2013 she was diagnosed as a sufferer of anaemia. "I was dealing with some injury issues and health issues throughout the summer. I found out that I was anaemic and had to have two iron IVs [intravenous cannulations] to bring my levels back up. During the time that I was anaemic I really struggled with training and to be honest with life. It is crazy what a lack of iron can do to someone." (healthyregardshayley.com, 23 Jun 2014)

RETIREMENT AND COMEBACK
From 2006 onwards, she suffered from an eating disorder and struggled with fatigue, injury and depression. She did not finish the triathlon at the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing, quit the sport and began full-time work in a shop in Bermuda. She decided she needed to finish her education and obtain a degree, studying sociology at the University of Colorado in Boulder, CO, United States of America, before returning to the sport. (floraduffytri.blogspot.co.uk, 13 Sep 2011; slowtwitch.com, 09 Jan 2013; healthyregardshayley.com, 23 Jun 2014)