Colin Duffy (climber)

Last updated
Colin Duffy
2019 Sport & Speed Open Nationals - Semifinals - Colin Duffy - 01.jpg
Duffy in 2019
Personal information
Born (2003-12-10) December 10, 2003 (age 20)
Broomfield, Colorado, U.S.
OccupationRock Climber
Height170 cm (5 ft 7 in)
Climbing career
Type of climber
Highest grade
Medal record
Men’s competition climbing
Representing the Flag of the United States (23px).png  United States
World Championships
Silver medal icon (S initial).svg 2023 Bern Combined
World Cup
Gold medal icon (G initial).svg 2022 Innsbruck Bouldering
Gold medal icon (G initial).svg 2022 Innsbruck Lead
Gold medal icon (G initial).svg 2024 Chamonix Lead
Bronze medal icon (B initial).svg 2021 Villars Lead
Bronze medal icon (B initial).svg 2022 Villars Lead
Pan American Games
Gold medal icon (G initial).svg Los Angeles 2020 Combined
Youth World Cup
Gold medal icon (G initial).svg 2017 Innsbruck Lead
Gold medal icon (G initial).svg 2018 Moscow Lead
Silver medal icon (S initial).svg 2017 Montreal Lead
Silver medal icon (S initial).svg 2019 Arco Lead

Colin Duffy (born December 10, 2003) is an American professional rock climber who specializes in competition climbing. At age 17, he became the youngest climber to qualify to compete at the 2020 Summer Olympic Games in Tokyo. [1]

Contents

Climbing career

Competition climbing

Duffy started climbing at age five before joining Team ABC in Boulder, Colorado at age eight, where he trained under Robyn Erbesfield-Raboutou and was teammates with future Olympic teammate Brooke Raboutou. [2]

As a youth competition climber, Duffy won the IFSC Climbing World Youth Championships twice in 2017 and 2018 and finished second in 2019. [3] Additionally, he was a 10-time USAC Youth National Champion. [4]

Duffy won his first IFSC Climbing World Cup medal at the 2021 IFSC Climbing World Cup by finishing third in lead in the Villars, Switzerland leg. [5]

At the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, he advanced to the final round of the sport climbing competition and finished in seventh place. [6]

Duffy won his first IFSC gold medal at the 2022 IFSC Climbing World Cup, finishing first in the competition bouldering event at the Innsbruck leg. Two days later, Duffy won his second gold by finishing first in the men's competition lead climbing event. He is the first male athlete to win both bouldering and lead climbing in the same IFSC World Cup event. [7]

Sport climbing

In 2019, aged 15, Duffy redpointed two 5.14c  (8c+) graded sport climbing routes at the Red River Gorge, Pure Imagination and Southern Smoke, and onsighting the 5.14a  (8b+) graded sport route Omaha Beach, in a single day; two days later he redpointed the 5.14a (8b+) route God's Own Stone. [8] In November 2021, he climbed his first 5.14d  (9a) graded sport route, Life of Villains. Duffy has also solved a V14  (8B+) grade bouldering problem. [3]

Duffy is sponsored by Black Diamond, Evolv, and Friction Labs. [9]

IFSC World Cup Rankings

Discipline20222024
Lead615
Bouldering812
Combined5

Related Research Articles

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References

  1. Peters, Caroline (May 20, 2021). "17-year-old Boulder native to compete in Tokyo Olympics for USA Climbing". KOAA. Retrieved July 9, 2021.
  2. Miller, Delaney (June 23, 2021). "Olympic Wildcard Colin Duffy May Be the Youngest Climbing Competitor—and the Spoiler". Climbing. Retrieved July 9, 2021.
  3. 1 2 "Colin Duffy". Black Diamond Equipment . Retrieved July 9, 2021.
  4. "Colin Duffy, Evolv Team Athlete". Evolv® USA. Retrieved 2024-03-09.
  5. Burgman, John (July 3, 2021). "Sean Bailey Wins Gold, Colin Duffy and Natalia Grossman Get Bronze at World Cup—On a Roll". Climbing . Retrieved July 9, 2021.
  6. Dart, Tom (August 5, 2021). "Climbing is a hit at the Tokyo Olympics – but does it reward the best athletes?". The Guardian. Retrieved September 27, 2021.
  7. Walker, Noah (June 26, 2022). "Janja Garnbret Returns and Colin Duffy Makes IFSC History at Innsbruck World Cup". Gripped. Retrieved June 26, 2022.
  8. "Colin Duffy, 15, Crushes at RRG with First 5.14c". Gripped. November 15, 2019. Retrieved July 9, 2021.
  9. "Team USA, Colin Duffy – USA Climbing" . Retrieved 2024-03-09.