Dejected triathlete Flora Duffy has admitted she has been forced to jettison her Pan Am Games medal aspirations after falling foul of fatigue problems in recent races insisting: “I’ll be content with a solid race.”

Duffy had been earmarked for great things in Rio but she is now keen to remove the weight of expectancy from her young shoulders by dispelling talk of a podium finish.

The 19-year-old had pinpointed the showpiece event as the priority on her sporting calendar and had geared her preparation to ensure she was in optimum condition.

But after failing to finish her World Cup race in Madrid and then coming in third from last in Des Moines, the triathlon sensation has had to re-evaluate her turbulent season and now views the Games as a chance to get her ailing campaign back on track.

She underwent blood tests in search of an explanation for the plummet in form and encouragingly post-race pampering has been proscribed as the cure — with Duffy also being told to increase her Iron intake.

“I’m disappointed I have been forced to switch my expectancy levels as I had set my sights on having a big race in Rio, but now I’m just looking for a solid performance,” she conceded.

“I’ve been feeling run-down and tired and my poor form has put paid to my medal hopes — if your body keeps saying ‘no’ then there’s not much you can do I’m afraid. I’ve been hearing people describe me as Bermuda’s major medal hope but sadly that’s no longer the case.

“But I’m feeling a lot better than I did since the results and I have been taking training quite lightly since I’ve been back in Bermuda. I need to increase my iron which helps to oxygenate the blood and allows the muscles to recover quicker.”

With space for athletes and officials in the Pan Am Village at a premium, the former Warwick Academy student will be stationed at a hotel with her family and coach.

She admits it is not ideal and would rather be engulfed in the hustle and bustle at the Pan Am Village in Barra da Tijuca, after enjoying her first major competition experience at the Melbourne Commonwealth Games in 2006.

“It’s a bit of a shame because it’s good to be immersed in the atmosphere of a Village with all the other athletes but due to a shortage of space I will be at a hotel. But I’ll be with my family so there are positives and negatives I suppose and I am looking forward to being part of Pan Am.”

Having taken the professional triathlon scene by storm in 2006 with a series of scintillating displays, many predicted a tougher second season for the starlet who is widely tipped to become one of the top competitors in her sport. She started the season with a career best finish in the 2007 World Cup curtain raiser in Lisbon in May.

Duffy will be in action at Pan Am on July 15 at the Copacabana Arena, which can host 2,000 spectators for the triathlon.

This year’s competition runs from July 13 to 29 and will see 5,500 athletes from 42 counties compete in 33 different sports.