Flora Duffy's preparations for the Olympic Games are well on course, despite her failure to finish the BG World Cup in South Africa last weekend.

The young Bermudian was forced to retire from last weekend's race after mechanical difficulties with her bike. But far from being despondent, Duffy and her coach Richard Brady are in confident mood.

Bermuda's Female Athlete of the Year put in a strong swim in South Africa, and looked well set for a good race, until her gears started to slip, and she was eventually forced to retire.

"Having to retire was disappointing," said Bray. "But better that it happened now, than at the World Championships in June, or in Beijing.

"It is frustrating, because there was nothing that could be done. We now have to put that to one side, and focus on taking the positives out of the race.

"Flora was in the lead pack in the swimming coming up to the first buoy, which is actually a crunch time in the race, and was pretty much in control, at that point. Then when it came to the bike, the gears began slipping which meant she was dropping back, and we took the decision that it was better to retire and save energy than spend a week recovering after pushing for a minor placed finish."

After the frustrations of last year, events in South Africa could have further damaged Duffy's confidence. But Brady insists the 20-year-old is fully focused on the challenges that lie ahead.

"Obviously, the initial reaction when the emotions are still running strong, is 'oh great another problem'. But when that dies down, then it doesn't look so bad. There wasn't a problem physically, she was in the pack on the hill climb, it was just a bit of bad luck with the bike.

"That though is the toughest part of coaching, when the motivation needs lifting. But here, we can use the race, and the positives as motivation, because a lot went right."

Attention turns now to the under-23 World Championships in four weeks time, and then the Olympics ten weeks later. The approach to both will depend on how Duffy is performing, although Brady is quietly confident that winning the World Championships can be a realistic target.

"Obviously we would love to win it," he said. "And if we go and put a good race together then there is no reason why we can't. We'll go in with the mentality that we can win it, and then it will just be up to the other athletes to beat us. But, at the end of the day, there are 15 girls all out there doing the same and it can depend on who has the best day.

"The Olympics is slightly different. We won't have unrealistic expectations, and it will be a great experience leading up to 2012, but we will make sure she is in the best shape and puts in the best race she can.

"We will decide closer to the time if we are going to be one of the athletes that decides to go for it, or are just happy to be there. It will depend on what we are looking to achieve from the event, but we won't be unrealistic, and there will be 15 girls all trying their hardest as well.

"In the end it will come down to form, and in the race in South Africa, there was less than a minute between first-place and tenth.

"Historically, the triathlon at the Olympics has been a surprise, it has been a case of expect the unexpected.

"The favourites haven't always won, and sometimes it is the athlete that sees it as a once in lifetime shot and really goes for it that wins. We'll focus on our strengths and see where it takes us."