A despondent Flora Duffy has admitted her drastic loss of form is showing no sign of abating after finishing last in her recent World Cup race, declaring: "I never expected things to be like this."

The 19-year-old, who took the triathlon scene by storm during her breathtaking debut season, came 49th in the Salford World Cup BG with a time of 2.19.19.

She had expected to continue her meteoric rise after starting her second campaign with a career-best fifth place finish in the Lisbon World Cup BG in May.

But since hitting that heady height, Bermuda's Female Athlete of the Year has suffered setback after setback and concedes her latest chastening experience has seen her confidence plummet to a new low.

"It is another setback for me and it's really hard to take because I believed I was over the worst of my recent troubles and back on the right track," said a clearly distraught Duffy, who finished a credible 12th in the Pan-Am Games in Rio. "So for me to go to Salford and suffer yet another setback is really hard for to take ¿ it's affected my confidence.

"I've already failed to to finish one race this season and I was determined to finish this race although I didn't feel right.

"I just don't know what sort of form I'm going to be in from one race to the next ¿ I never expected my second season to be like this."

Following two horribly out-of-sorts World Cup performances in Madrid and Des Moines, Duffy underwent blood tests that revealed nothing of major significance.

Post-race pampering and a more varied diet were the prescribed cures for the former Warwick Academy student but still her fatigue problems have continued to hamper her, producing disjointed displays.

"I'm at a complete loss to explain in all to be honest," she added. "Some people say it's lack of rest and recuperation, too much travelling and training or even stress from my college studies.

"It's been bizarre considering the first race of the season was my best ever and since them it's all been downhill for me.

"It was meant to be a big season for me but now I already have one-eye on next season which has now become the big season.

"I'm disappointed, frustrated and down but I have to remember that I'm still very young and will come through this. My body is just not reacting as it should at the moment."

Duffy, from Paget, is currently training in the Pyrenees, France, before heading back to England where she is based for three-weeks training before the Triathlon World Championships in Hamburg, Germany in September.

Her next World Cup race is in Beijing on September 16.

"I have no idea what sort of form I'll be in at the Triathlon World Championships," she said. "I could turn up there and have a good race or I could have another bad day.

"I'll not be training too intensively as September is a busy month before a quiet October, which is pretty much empty."