#299 Duff Gibson - ‘It’s Just Sport!’ Reflections from an Olympic Gold Medallist

The Sport Psych Show

I’m delighted to speak with Duff Gibson this week. Duff has spent the better part of three decades in a hotbed of Olympic sport.

As an athlete, Duff was a provincial champion speed skater, a national champion and national team member in bobsleigh, and then a world and Olympic gold medallist in the sport of skeleton. As a coach he led six different athletes to podium finishes at a world level. Competing against, working with, and learning from numerous world-leading athletes and coaches has provided Duff a breadth and depth of experience.

Duff’s belief is that, despite its mischaracterisation in popular culture, the mental side of sport is perhaps the most significant aspect, and what very often makes the difference between success and failure, in particular at the highest level.

In his fantastic book ‘The Tao of Sport’ Duff explores the commonality amongst elite performers relating to purpose, passion, and growth, as a means to achieving high performance, or as a means to an end in itself. The book is an inspiring and informative read for athletes and coaches of any level, as well as parents, teachers, and anyone helping others to become the best version of themselves. Duff is also the founder of TheTaoOfSport.com which offers athletes and coaches courses on the mental side of sport.