Duff GIBSON

At 39, Duff Gibson became the oldest Canadian gold medalist in the history of the Winter Olympics when he became champion at the Men’s Skeleton event at the 2006 Games, as well as becoming the oldest individual gold medalist ever in the Winter Games. He also holds the distinction of being Canada’s only gold medalist in the sport. Sport was an important part of his youth, and he dabbled in ice hockey and wrestling before settling on rowing while attending the University of Western Ontario and Speed Skating at the University of Calgary. He later pursued bobsled and luge and only took up skeleton at the age of 33 and began professional competition in 2000. Although he won bronze at the 2002 World Cup, he placed 10th at the competition at the 2002 Winter Olympics. Between this and the 2006 Olympics, Gibson improved, placing second in the 2003-2004 World Cup standings, winning gold at the 2004 World Championships and bronze at the 2005 Championships. At the 2006 Winter Olympics he took the gold and announced his retirement from the sport, returning to Calgary, Alberta to work as a firefighter at the city’s international airport.