A sensational year just got better for triathlon?s budding superstar Flora Duffy after learning yesterday that she had been given a $10,000 scholarship by the International Triathlon Union.

The 19-year-old Bermudian is widely regarded as one of, if not the most promising female triathlete to break through to the senior ranks this year ? a fact recognised by the ITU?s prodigious investment which will help cover the burgeoning costs of Duffy?s global travel.

The former Warwick Academy student also revealed yesterday that she had been approached by a top French professional team who want her to compete with them during the upcoming season.

Poissy Triathlon ? multi-time French national champions ? will pay Duffy to take part in three or four triathlons across the country next year, covering the cost of her travel, accommodation and kit while providing her with the chance to compete against many of the world?s best in between the all-important World Cup assignments.

?The $10,000 is fantastic news ? every penny helps because the cost of travelling and competing at these races is incredibly high,? said the UK-based Duffy who has just returned home for Christmas.

?I?m excited about the opportunity to race with Poissy as well. In France, through the season they have a whole bunch of Triathlon Grand Prix and Poissy is one of the bigger teams involved.

?They look after you very well when you?re with them and also pay you a reasonable amount of money. A lot of the other top girls race in France as well, so the competition will be pretty intense.

?The fact that they only want me for about three or four races fits in very well with my schedule as well, given my commitments at school and the World Cup races I?m planning to compete in. I?m really looking forward to it.?

Since returning to the UK in November from Cancun, Mexico ? where she placed a startling sixth in the last World Cup race of the year ? Duffy has been taking life relatively easy by her standards and allowing her body the luxury of some extended recovery time following a season of success which few could have anticipated.

A ninth-place finish at the Commonwealth Games in March while aged only 18 was followed by a silver medal at the World Junior Triathlon Championships in Lausane, Switzerland and another ninth-place in only her second World Cup race in Hamburg, Germany.

A shoo-in for Female Athlete of the Year at February?s Sports Awards, Duffy will continue her training programme at school until the middle of next year, when her campaign to acquire more World Cup points and to further cement her already commanding position in the qualifying standings for the Beijing Olympics, will begin in earnest.

Duffy currently sits at 28th in the Olympic standings which are dictated by World Cup finishes ? well inside the top 55 required to make it to China in 2008.