| Bermuda's Flora Duffy celebrates winning the women's individual triathlon competition during the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games at the Odaiba Marine Park in Tokyo, July 26. AFP-Yonhap |
Flora Duffy made Olympic history on Tuesday, winning the women's triathlon in Tokyo to give the tiny island of Bermuda their first-ever gold medal.
The 33-year-old timed 1hr 55min 36sec to come home ahead of Britain's Georgia Taylor-Brown, with American Katie Zaferes taking the bronze.
Duffy's success makes Bermuda the smallest nation in terms of population ― around 70,000 ― to ever win a medal at the Summer Games.
| Flora Duffy of the Bermudas celebrates after winning the Women's Individual Triathlon race of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games at the Odaiba Marine Park in Tokyo, July 27. EPA-Yonhap |
In a race delayed by 15 minutes due to the slippery conditions following heavy overnight rain, Duffy took control in the final running section.
She had opened up a lead of almost a minute after the first of four laps and was never under threat from then on.
Taylor-Brown suffered a flat rear tire in the cycling section of the race.
Bermuda's only previous Olympic medalist was boxer Clarence Hill in 1976. (AFP)