Erica Hawley expressed her delight after producing a third-place finish at the inaugural World Triathlon Cup Yeongdo in South Korea on Saturday.

Competing among the 40-strong elite women’s field, the Bermudian claimed the bronze medal and maiden top-ten display at this level in challenging hot and humid conditions.

“The stuff of dreams,” Hawley posted on her Instagram account. “In Yeongdo World Cup and my first podium [and top ten] at this level!

“Pinch me because it just doesn’t seem real.”

The 25-year-old completed the 750-metre swim, 20-kilometre bike and five-kilometre run in an overall time of 57min 7sec to pip Mexican Sofia Rodriguez Moreno by two seconds for the final spot on the podium.

Hawley was among the chase group that caught up with the leaders on the second bike lap and remained in contention for medal honours heading in to the run to the finish, which she ultimately grasped.

German Annika Koch led the elite women’s field across the line in 56:50 to claim the gold medal followed by Slovakian Romana Gajdosova, who secured the silver in 57:06.

Hawley’s previous best finish in the series heading in to this weekend’s event was eleventh, which she achieved in Huatulco in June.

She arrived in South Korea in good form and with confidence soaring having claimed a maiden professional victory competing at last month’s Americas Triathlon Cup in Montreal.

Hawley completed the sprint distance event in an overall time of 58:15 and clocked the fastest time of 16:53 on the run among the 38-strong elite women’s field.