Flora Duffy?s blossoming athletic ability has earned her qualification for the triathlon World Championships in September.

The Bermudian?s improving form in the three-sport discipline has seen her achieve the necessary standard twice within the last three weeks, the second occasion being on Sunday when she placed second among Junior Females in Britain?s 2005 National Youth and Junior Championships.

Posting one hour, five minutes and 22 seconds, Duffy worked her way through the pack to move into the runner-up position early in the run and finished strongly behind winner Rosie Clarke (1:04.08) in Llanelli, Wales, to wrest the silver medal.

?I?m really happy about it. I?m surprised I did so well considering it?s only my second race in England and the girl who beat me is in the top ten in the world (in the 16-19 age group),? said the 17-year-old.

?I didn?t have the best start or a very good swim and I didn?t feel that great. I came out of the water sixth and I had a pretty slow transition.?

On the bike, however, she managed to catch a small pack of girls ahead of her and kept pace with them for the rest of the ride.

?I came out onto the run with two of the girls and then I passed them. I was basically in second for the whole of the run.?

Duffy clocked 10.35 for the 750-metre swim, 34.38 for the 20 kilometres bike and 20.09 for the 5K run. Had she been on par with the winner earlier in the event, she thinks she would have had a chance at victory.

?If I had had a better bike-to-run transition, and had come out with the lead girl, I think I could have done better, possibly even won.?

On top of it all, she is thrilled to have qualified for the Worlds in Japan, noting her hard work is paying off.

?I?m really excited about going. It?s going to be my first Worlds. I should have gone last year but I had exams so I couldn?t go which I was quite upset about. This year my triathlon is going well and I?m hoping to have a good performance.?

Duffy?s attention now turns to the Windsor Triathlon in two weeks? time. Competing in the Women?s Elite division, her aim will be to qualify for next year?s Commonwealth Games over the Olympic distances (1,500-metre swim, 40K bike and 10K run).

Since leaving Bermuda to attend Kelly College in Devon, she has been training rigorously.

?I train twice a day every day except for Mondays and Thursdays. I swim five times a week, run three times a week and cycle three times a week.?