Emily Nagel has signed off from her “amateur” triathlon career by finishing sixth in her age group at the Ironman World Championships in Kona, Hawaii.

Nagel, who finished 51st overall in 9hr 58min 23sec after completing a 3.8km swim, 180km bike ride and 42.2km run, was delighted with her performance and revealed she will be turning professional at the turn of the year.

“I am really excited to say I will be continuing my triathlon career next season in the professional field,” Nagel said.

“I still have to decide which race to kick off my professional career and it will depend a lot on what sponsorship and support I can find, but my main goal is just to enjoy the experience racing alongside the best in the world.

“I know I will never be the next Flora Duffy, but hopefully I can show some other young girls that its OK to have crazy big dreams, just like Flora did for me.”

Nagel went into the race with three main goals, other than to have fun, by posting a time faster than ten hours, recording the fastest swim in her age group and making it on to the podium.

“I ticked off the first two with a big PB and had the fastest swim in my age group but I unfortunately fell short of the podium,” Nagel said.

“For the World Championships the top five make the podium, although my husband still argues only top three should count. At the 41.7km timing mat I was still in fifth but unfortunately at the start of the finish chute I was overtaken and I was too late realising to kick it into the next gear and defend my spot. It was a very tough lesson to learn in what was simultaneously one of my proudest moments of the race.”

The Ironman is renowned as one of the world’s toughest races and Nagel can confirm that after racing through the pain barrier.

“I am not sure if the words really exist to describe what racing in Kona is like,” she said.

“It is often talked about as being the hardest race in the sport and other World Championship locations just haven’t compared and it really is true. There is nothing like it.

“The swim was quite an experience. The conditions were pretty gnarly with wind, rain and waves, which meant a lot of panicked swimmers ahead of us to navigate. I was told afterwards that I swam past 223 men who had all started five to 20 minutes ahead of me. It was complete carnage. But having grown up doing the Round The Sound Swim and Trunk Island, I absolutely loved it, despite the near drownings and punches. To lead my age group onto the bike felt incredible.

“That incredible feeling didn't last too long when torrential rain began and continued for 20km on the bike. It then proceeded to be one of the hardest rides I've ever done with crazy headwinds both ways, which was not expected by anyone. Huge bunches of men coming past made it a very stressful experience but I was relieved again to come away with a PB and find out I was still on the podium at the end of the bike.”

With one leg to go Nagel looked as if she would fulfil all her major goals but she was left disheartened by her run.

“The run was not what I had been dreaming of,” Nagel said. “After my last race in August, I suffered an ankle injury and have been on a minimum run programme to try and let it recover.

“But 5K into the run I knew it had definitely not recovered and it turned into a mission to finish at all costs. I had to change my race mindset to almost let go of the podium and focus on not blowing up the ankle and prioritising getting to the line.

“This meant a run/walk approach. I would run at race pace (4:20-4:40 per km) for as long as I could tolerate the pain and then reduce to a walk when it got too bad, breathe, rehydrate and go again.

“This meant I nailed the cooling and hydration. Taking on ice, water and electrolytes at every aid station, by the end of the race I had stayed in control of my core temp and didn’t end up on the side of the road like so many athletes.

“Unfortunately I had lost track through the run of my position and didn't realise until it was too late just how close I had been to the podium, but I was still so happy to see the time on the board after I crossed the line.”

Despite her troubles on the run, Nagel proved that she can cut it with some of the best long-distance triathletes on the planet.

“Overall I finished 51st, including pros, which blows my mind far more than the age group result. With so many athletes withdrawing during the race, I am so proud to have made it across the line and so incredibly grateful for all of the volunteers and supporters on the course. I never would have finished if it wasn’t for all of them.

“Crossing the line with the Bermuda flag above me will forever be one of my proudest moments in sport.”