Tyler Smith continued his superb form in the Americas Triathlon Championship Series after sealing a fifth-place finish in Santa Marta, Colombia.

Competing among a strong elite men’s field, the 25-year-old exited the water from the 750-metre swim among the lead group in 54min 42sec, clocked 28:58 on the 20-kilometre bike course and completed the 5km run in 14:44 for a total time of 54:42, crossing the line less than 60 seconds adrift of race winner Matthew Wright, of Barbados (53:46).

Chase McQueen, of the United States, claimed second place in 53:54, with Mexico’s David Nunez completing the podium places in 54:10.

The performance was Smith’s second successive top-ten finish after he battled his way to a highly respectable ninth in Veracruz, Mexico, earlier this month. He also claimed his highest finish on the World Triathlon Championship Series, of 30th, in Sunderland, England, at the end of July.