Bermuda’s world triathlon champion Flora Duffy was greeted by politicians as she arrived home on Monday night.

Sports minister Sylvan Richards was joined by MP Jeff Sousa at the airport to welcome the professional athlete who has taken the triathlon world by storm during the past year.

She competed in a new three-day event over the weekend in the Bahamas, the Island House Triathlon, in which she finished second to Olympic champion Gwen Jorgenson, of the United States.

In September, Duffy was crowned 2016 World Triathlon Series champion, winning the final event in Mexico, and last month she claimed the Xterra World Championships in Maui, Hawaii, where she was the two-times defending champion.

Next up is the ITU Cross Triathlon World Championships this month in Snowy Mountains, Australia, where she is again the defending champion.

This Friday evening, she will take part in a wine-tasting question-and-answer session at City Hall put on by the Bermuda Triathlon Association.

The former Warwick Academy student also plans to attend the school’s Assembly n Friday when she will chat to students about her accomplishments and then hand out the IGCSE certificates.

Mr Richards said: “As the minister responsible for sport, I wanted to congratulate Flora for her many sporting achievements and thank her for being a positive and inspiring role model for all of our athletes, and especially our young female athletes.

“She makes Bermuda proud. It seems as if she never stops; every time you blink, Flora is taking part in another gruelling competition, propelling her way to the front of the pack time and time again.”