Duff Gibson
Encyclopedia
Duff Gibson is a Canadian
skeleton racer
who competed from 1999 to 2006. He was born in Vaughan, Ontario
. His father was born on December 13, 1937. At the 2006 Winter Olympics
in Turin
, He won the gold medal
in the men's skeleton, narrowly beating out his teammate Jeff Pain
. His victory made the 39-year old surpass ice hockey
player Al MacInnis
as the oldest gold medalist in Canadian Winter Olympic history. More significantly, Gibson became the oldest individual gold medalist in the history of the Winter Games, a record previously held by Norway
's Magnar Solberg
, who was 35 when he won the gold medal in the 20 km individual biathlon event at the 1972 Winter Olympics in Sapporo
. He retired immediately following the 2006 Games in Turin.
Gibson also finished tenth in the men's skeleton event at the 2002 Winter Olympics
in Salt Lake City. He also won two medals in the men's skeleton event at the FIBT World Championships
with a gold in 2004
and a bronze in 2005
. Gibson's best overall seasonal Skeleton World Cup finish was second in the men's event in 2003-4.
In October 2009, Gibson is pairing up with the Stephen Lewis
Foundation to raise money for HIV/AIDS affected families in Africa
. The Gold medal Olympian carried a 20-litre jug of water approximately 12 km through Calgary
from Canada Olympic Park
to his son's school. The "dare" is part of the foundations current A Dare to Remember campaign.
Off the ice, Gibson is a firefighter
at the Calgary International Airport
.
For the 2010 Winter Olympics
, a picture of Gibson in competition from the previous Olympics was used as a pictogram
for the skeleton
events. In June 2010, Gibson was announced as a coach for the Canadian skeleton team. Duff Gibson is also the nephew of Edward Gibson who competed in the 1984 summer olympics as a rower for the Canadian team but only came in 7th place.
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
skeleton racer
Skeleton (sport)
Skeleton is a fast winter sliding sport in which an individual person rides a small sled down a frozen track while lying face down, during which athletes experience forces up to 5g. It originated in St. Moritz, Switzerland as a spin-off from the popular British sport of Cresta Sledding...
who competed from 1999 to 2006. He was born in Vaughan, Ontario
Vaughan, Ontario
Vaughan is a city in York Region north of Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Vaughan is the fastest growing municipality in Canada achieving a population growth rate of 80.2% between 1996–2006, according to Statistics Canada having nearly doubled in population since 1991. Vaughan is located in Southern...
. His father was born on December 13, 1937. At the 2006 Winter Olympics
2006 Winter Olympics
The 2006 Winter Olympics, officially known as the XX Olympic Winter Games, was a winter multi-sport event which was celebrated in Turin, Italy from February 10, 2006, through February 26, 2006. This marked the second time Italy hosted the Olympic Winter Games, the first being the VII Olympic Winter...
in Turin
Turin
Turin is a city and major business and cultural centre in northern Italy, capital of the Piedmont region, located mainly on the left bank of the Po River and surrounded by the Alpine arch. The population of the city proper is 909,193 while the population of the urban area is estimated by Eurostat...
, He won the gold medal
Gold medal
A gold medal is typically the medal awarded for highest achievement in a non-military field. Its name derives from the use of at least a fraction of gold in form of plating or alloying in its manufacture...
in the men's skeleton, narrowly beating out his teammate Jeff Pain
Jeff Pain
Jeff Pain is an American-born, Canadian skeleton racer who has competed since 1995. He is regarded as one of the most successful male competitors in the history of the Canadian skeleton program...
. His victory made the 39-year old surpass ice hockey
Ice hockey
Ice hockey, often referred to as hockey, is a team sport played on ice, in which skaters use wooden or composite sticks to shoot a hard rubber puck into their opponent's net. The game is played between two teams of six players each. Five members of each team skate up and down the ice trying to take...
player Al MacInnis
Al MacInnis
Allan MacInnis is a Canadian former ice hockey defenceman who played 23 seasons in the National Hockey League for the Calgary Flames and St. Louis Blues. A first round selection of the Flames in the 1981 NHL Entry Draft, he went on to become a 13-time All-Star...
as the oldest gold medalist in Canadian Winter Olympic history. More significantly, Gibson became the oldest individual gold medalist in the history of the Winter Games, a record previously held by Norway
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
's Magnar Solberg
Magnar Solberg
Magnar Solberg is a former Norwegian biathlete and police officer. He won a gold medal in the 20 km at the Winter Olympic Games 1968 in Grenoble, and he retained his gold medal at the Winter Olympic Games 1972 in Sapporo. In 1968 he was awarded Morgenbladets Gullmedalje...
, who was 35 when he won the gold medal in the 20 km individual biathlon event at the 1972 Winter Olympics in Sapporo
Biathlon at the 1972 Winter Olympics
-20 km:-4 x 7.5 km relay:-References:*...
. He retired immediately following the 2006 Games in Turin.
Gibson also finished tenth in the men's skeleton event at the 2002 Winter Olympics
2002 Winter Olympics
The 2002 Winter Olympics, officially the XIX Olympic Winter Games, were a winter multi-sport event that was celebrated in February 2002 in and around Salt Lake City, Utah, United States. Approximately 2,400 athletes from 77 nations participated in 78 events in fifteen disciplines, held throughout...
in Salt Lake City. He also won two medals in the men's skeleton event at the FIBT World Championships
FIBT World Championships
The FIBT World Championships, part of the Fédération Internationale de Bobsleigh et de Tobogganing , have taken place on an annual basis in non-Winter Olympic years since 1930. A two-man event was included in 1931 with a combined championship occurring in 1947...
with a gold in 2004
FIBT World Championships 2004
The FIBT World Championships 2004 took place in Königssee, Germany for the fourth time, doing so previously in 1979, 1986, and 1990 . This marked the first time all the events were in a single location at the championships since the 1996 event in Calgary, Alberta, Canada.-Two man:-Four man:-Two...
and a bronze in 2005
FIBT World Championships 2005
The FIBT World Championships 2005 took place in Calgary, Alberta, Canada for the fourth time, doing so previously in 1992 , 1996, and 2001 .-Two man:-Four man:-Two woman:-Men:-Women:...
. Gibson's best overall seasonal Skeleton World Cup finish was second in the men's event in 2003-4.
In October 2009, Gibson is pairing up with the Stephen Lewis
Stephen Lewis
Stephen Henry Lewis, is a Canadian politician, broadcaster and diplomat. He was the leader of the social democratic Ontario New Democratic Party for most of the 1970s. During many of the those years as leader, his father David Lewis was simultaneously the leader of the Federal New Democratic Party...
Foundation to raise money for HIV/AIDS affected families in Africa
Africa
Africa is the world's second largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area...
. The Gold medal Olympian carried a 20-litre jug of water approximately 12 km through Calgary
Calgary
Calgary is a city in the Province of Alberta, Canada. It is located in the south of the province, in an area of foothills and prairie, approximately east of the front ranges of the Canadian Rockies...
from Canada Olympic Park
Canada Olympic Park
Canada Olympic Park is located in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. The park is operated by WinSport Canada formerly the Calgary Olympic Development Association . It is currently used both for high performance athletic training and for recreational purposes by the general public...
to his son's school. The "dare" is part of the foundations current A Dare to Remember campaign.
Off the ice, Gibson is a firefighter
Firefighter
Firefighters are rescuers extensively trained primarily to put out hazardous fires that threaten civilian populations and property, to rescue people from car incidents, collapsed and burning buildings and other such situations...
at the Calgary International Airport
Calgary International Airport
Calgary International Airport, , is the international airport that serves Calgary, Alberta, Canada and the surrounding region; it is situated approximately northeast of downtown Calgary...
.
For the 2010 Winter Olympics
2010 Winter Olympics
The 2010 Winter Olympics, officially the XXI Olympic Winter Games or the 21st Winter Olympics, were a major international multi-sport event held from February 12–28, 2010, in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, with some events held in the suburbs of Richmond, West Vancouver and the University...
, a picture of Gibson in competition from the previous Olympics was used as a pictogram
Pictogram
A pictograph, also called pictogram or pictogramme is an ideogram that conveys its meaning through its pictorial resemblance to a physical object. Pictographs are often used in writing and graphic systems in which the characters are to considerable extent pictorial in appearance.Pictography is a...
for the skeleton
Skeleton at the 2010 Winter Olympics
The skeleton competition of the Vancouver 2010 Olympics was held at Whistler Sliding Centre. The events were held between the 18 and 19 February 2010...
events. In June 2010, Gibson was announced as a coach for the Canadian skeleton team. Duff Gibson is also the nephew of Edward Gibson who competed in the 1984 summer olympics as a rower for the Canadian team but only came in 7th place.