James Duffy

James Duffy (May 1, 1890 – April 23, 1915) was a distance runner from Canada, one of the world's best marathon runners at the beginning of the 20th century. He participated in the 1912 Summer Olympics in Stockholm and was the winner of the 1914 Boston Marathon.

Biography Born in Ireland, Duffy grew up in Edinburgh, Scotland, after moving there with his family as a child. According to his own later account, Duffy participated in cross-country races in Scotland, winning many of them. He was a member of the Edinburgh Southern Harriers.

In 1911, he emigrated to Canada, where he worked in Toronto as a tinsmith and stonecutter. In his spare time, he visited the Central YMCA, the director of which quickly recognized his talent.