Tim Don, a four-times International Triathlon Union World Champion, has likened Flora Duffy to global superstar David Beckham, in her ability to deal with incomprehensible pressure.

The three-times British Olympian and former Ironman world-record holder has cast a keen eye across the Bermudian triathlete’s career, having known her since she was a junior and trained with her throughout his own illustrious career.

Having failed to live up to expectations at the Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro in 2016, her third Olympic appearance, Duffy stormed back in spectacular fashion, winning gold at the Commonwealth Games on the Gold Coast, Australia, last April, becoming Bermuda’s first female Commonwealth gold medal-winner in the process.

That momentum continued with a fairytale victory in front of an expectant home crowd at the inaugural MS Amlin World Triathlon Bermuda, in which she led in each of the three disciplines, to finish 96 seconds ahead of her nearest rival in the first Olympic-distance race of the season.

“Unfortunately, she was primed to dominate at the Rio Olympics, but that didn’t happen for her,” said Don on a recent visit to the island. “She had setbacks, but her resilience and self-belief got her through and you can only respect that.

“I’ve seen Flora’s talent grow from years back, but potential and reality are different things altogether. To see her now is just incredible.

“I’ve got no doubt that she’s driven beyond belief and that the makings of Flora were the setbacks when she was younger, because it hasn’t come easy to her.

“Now you can see how dominant she is. She’s not only worked tirelessly on her strengths, but on her weaknesses as well.

“What she did at the Commonwealth Games was amazing, but what she did here in Bermuda with that added level of pressure was incredible.

“Last year here, the medal was almost hung round her neck before the race even started; the pressure was incredible, I honestly don’t know how she coped with that.

“She backed herself and the reality is that she absolutely dominated. She is carrying the hopes of the entire nation on her shoulders and I can’t comprehend how that must have felt.

“It reminded me of someone like David Beckham dealing with pressure like that, and for her to do what she did just shows you how big of a character she is.

“Some would say she’s lucky, but I’m not so sure because the expectations are just massive on her.

“She’s an incredible ambassador for the sport and for the country; it’s just phenomenal. I mentioned her name to someone here and you could just see the pride.

“She is the best in the world, everyone one here loves her and rightly so; she deserves all the success she gets.”

Duffy, who missed the end of last season because of a foot injury, is building towards her first race of the season at WTS Abu Dhabi on March 8.

Despite recently recovering from her injury, Don who is flying out to join up with Duffy, in preparation for his upcoming Ironman event, still believes she has to be considered a gold medal contender at the Olympic Games in Tokyo next year.

“This year is going to be massive for her with the Olympics only a year away,” Don added.

“All being well this year, it is going to be a big one mentally, even if she doesn’t win the overall World Triathlon Series, she needs to see that she is still in the fight and can still execute races strongly.

“Knowing Flora as I do, she is not a medal contender for the Olympics in Tokyo, she is the medal favourite.”