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At an early age, it was easy to see that Flora Duffy had potential. The youngster was winning the Front Street Mile with ease, setting course records along the way. The very first triathlon she entered she won.

So it shouldn't come as too much of a surprise that she's beginning to make a name for herself on the triathlon circuit. What may be a surprise is that she's doing at age 18 when most of her competitors are just now hitting their strides in their late 20s.

She's caught the attention of BG Triathlon World Cup series. Sarah Shore, press officer, said that Duffy will be one of the first to benefit from the new wild card entry system.

She said: "Flora has shown she is a promising young triathlete with an ambition to make it to the Beijing Olympic Games."

Steve Petty, president of the Bermuda Traithlon Association said having Duffy involved in the World Cup series "will enable her to go places and compete with the best athletes, which is what she wants to be doing between now and Beijing. This is going to make this process much easier and more affordable."

She's also recently been moved to Elite 'A' status by the Bermuda Olympic Association, joining sailor Peter Bromby and few others as one of the island's top athletes.

It's an honour well deserved. She was eighth at the Commonwealth Games this year, a few weeks ago she was second in the Junior World Championships and last week she was eighth at the World Cup event in Hamburg.

BOA president John Hoskins believes Duffy will be one of our Olympians in two years time. Her chances are "very good. She'll acquire enough points between now and then. There's always the wild card, but I don't think she'll need that."

When she's not setting the triathlon world afire, Duffy attends Kelly College in England where she's doing a Higher National Diploma in Sports and Leisure Management. While there she's under the tutelege of coach Richard Brady.

Don Burgess spoke to this rising star about her success and future.

When did you start doing triathlons?

When I was seven-years-old I did the Iron Kids Triathlon. I did a lot of running in primary school and I was involved with a local swim club and I thought I'd give triathlon a go to see how it was. I ended up winning my age group amd joining Tri Hedz.

With the Tri Hedz you got to compete in the Mrs. T's triathlon in Chicago. How was it to compete against some of the best juniors the U.S. has to offer?

When I was 12, I won my age group. It showed that I could compete against people outside of Bermuda. I raced against were some of the top U.S. girls., so knowing that I could compete against them, beat them or finish just behind them, gave me a lot of confidence.

Which of the three disciplines is your favourite?

When I was growing up it was always running, but it changes between running and swimming - cycling has never been my favourite.

What's the worst part of being a triathlete?

Getting up early in the morning. I'm up at 5:20 every morning to go swimming.

What's the best part?

Travelling around the world and doing these World Cup races and meeting all these top athletes. Last weekend I was sitting and chatting with all these past world champions. It's weird because I don't feel like I should be there with them.

When did you really start to get serious about training for triathlons?

Two years ago when I left Bermuda and came to Kelly College. That's when I decided that I was strictly going to focus on triathlon.

What's good about your coach Richard Brady.

He knows a lot of stuff about triathlons. He's really geeky about it. He knows all the ins and the outs. He knows what type of athlete I am and what kind of training works for me. He doesn't over push me to the point I'm about to break.

What was it like finishing in the top 10 at the World Cup event in Hamburg?

When I was running someone shouted to one of the other athletes that was running next to me 'You're in the top 10. Keep going.' I thought to myself 'Oh, my God! How am I doing this?' To be able to compete at the World Cup level has been my dream since I was eight. To come in the top 10 in my second race - It was just amazing. I can't believe it.

What was it like competing and beating people you had read about in triathlon magazines?

It was so cool. I remember overtaking Liz Blatchford, who is one of the top women from Great Britain, as I was going by her I thought 'This is ridiculous.' A year ago I was reading about her in a magazine, thinking I wanted to be like her and now I'm racing her and I was passing her. It was like 'Whoa. What's up with this?'

You've been given a wild card entry for the World Cup. How does that make you feel?

I'm quite honoured to be selected for it because it's quite hard to get in. Plus, it's a really good programme that they have going on because they pay for my accommodation, pay for my trips and really take care of me. They're really interested in promoting triathlon in the world I'm really happy that they've picked me.

How do you think this is going to help you improve?

I'll be able to race on the World Cup circuit on a regular basis. Every time I race I'll gain more experience because every race is different.

You'll be competing on the Olympic course in Beijing next week. How much of an incentive is it for you to make it to China in 2008?

My goal is to make it to the Olympics in two years time. Racing on the actual Olympic course will be good experience to see how the course is, the climate and all the conditions. It's basically a trial run for Beijing 2008. Hopefully, I'll make it to Beijing in 2008, if things keep going the way that they are, I'll get there.[[In-content Ad]]

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