ACCOMPLISHMENTS
- 2021 USA Olympic Team
- 2021 Sport Climbing Olympic Finalist
- 10 time USAC Youth National Champion
- 2 time Youth Lead Climbing World Champion
- On-sighted Omaha Beach (5.14a)
- Red-pointed Pure Imagination (5.14c) and Southern Smoke (5.14c) in the same day
- Red-pointed Life of Villians (5.14d) and Activator (5.14d)
Colin Duffy
2020 is a huge year for Colin, as he became the 4th and youngest member to qualify for the US Olympic Team. Here is a question and answer session from the future Olympian about training, and his favorite Evolv climbing shoe, the Shaman.
Why is the Shaman your go-to climbing shoe?
The Shaman is my go to climbing shoe for many reasons from the versatile functions it serves to the comfortable design. From the moment I first tried out the shoe I knew the fit was right and felt great. I love how the Shaman works great on all terrain, from comp style slabs to technical roof climbing. My heel locks into the shoe for comfortable heel hooking and toe hooking always feels solid. The Shaman fits my needs for all elements of climbing and will be my shoe of choice for the foreseeable future.
How will you be training for the Olympics?
Leading up to the Olympics my training will evolve to improve my skills in each of the three disciplines and help me peak at the Games. I think the main difference I’ll see in my training is a more planned out schedule to help keep me more organized. In the past I’ve climbed whenever I felt like it without much structure. The other main difference I think I’ll have in my training is implementing more speed climbing. With the importance of speed in the combined format, I look forward to spending more time on it and hopefully seeing improvement.
How has Quarantine treated your training regiment?
During the pandemic, I've found new ways to improve my training and stay strong despite the strange circumstances. In the beginning of quarantine, I worked more on physical conditioning rather than climbing to add new strengths to my skill set. I added rings and parallettes to my home equipment and worked on exercises with a personal trainer through Zoom calls and FaceTimes. Over time as climbing gyms/outdoor areas are more accessible to the public, my training has shifted a bit. With the uncertain schedule for climbing competitions, and social distancing concerns, I’ve gotten to spend more time on real rock and visit some of the amazing local crags. Learning new exercises and setting short term outdoor goals has kept me strong throughout the pandemic!
What is your spirit animal?
A turtle or a tiger.
