Flora Duffy finished an impressive ninth at the Hamburg World Cup Triathlon yesterday, competing amid a field boasting the very best female triathletes.

Duffy, who at 19 was one of the youngest competing in the German city, placed 23rd in her only other World Cup appearance in Salford, England last July.

Regarded as one of the up-and-coming superstars of top-class triathlon, the Bermudian last week won the silver medal at the World Junior Triathlon Championships in Laussane, Switzerland.

Her ninth place in Hamburg has given her crucial qualifying points towards the 2008 Beijing Olympics.

See The Royal Gazette this week for an in-depth report.