Erica Hawley incurred a penalty for not putting her helmet in the box provided which may have cost her first place among the 16 to 19-year-old elite female triathletes at the Continental Cup in Costa Rica last weekend.

Hawley and compatriot Tyler Smith both achieved podium finishes in the event that doubled as the Junior Central American and Caribbean Championships.

Two Costa Ricans, Raquel Solís Guerrero and David Martin were the male and female 16-19 age-group winners.

Hawley was just 17 seconds behind Guerrero in second place.

“The race was really tough but I’m very happy with the result,” Hawley told Bermuda Triathlon News. “I wanted the win but unfortunately a penalty cost that. Hopefully that’s my last penalty!

“The race conditions and course were so tough, a 2.30pm race in 95-degree heat and 30-40 mph wind!

“My swim was really good, I think that’s the first time I’ve come out first which was nice. The bike was, well, quite interesting, 400 metres elevation and only one lap but I had the Costa Rican girl [Solís] with me which helped.

“Last year she rode away from me so I was really happy I stayed with her on this hard course, proving I have improved a lot. The run was consistent and I’m just upset about the penalty.”

Hawley, who is a freshman at the University of Colorado at Boulder, added: “The realisation and confusion of stopping on the penalty disrupted my rhythm and decreased my focus as I was worried about the girl catching me rather than my run form on the second lap.”

Hawley and Smith, a freshman at the University of Leeds in England, head to Sarasota, Florida, for the North American Junior Championships this weekend in what will be a much larger and more competitive field.

The Costa Rica race has qualified the pair for the Junior Pan American Championships in Magog, Canada, on July 15. The top 20 from each of the three regional championships quality for the event.

Lyndsey Palmer, another up and coming junior triathlete, will join Hawley and Smith on the start line in Florida.

Palmer, the daughter of Shona Palmer, a former Bermuda triathlon champion, has impressed on the local scene.

Junior triathletes Nick Pilgrim and Caleb Ingham are also heading to Sarasota where they will race in a USAT Youth Elite race.