Six young triathletes from Bermuda produced fine performances at the United States Triathlon Youth and Junior National Championships in West Chester, Ohio, last weekend.

Rohan Roopra, Gianluca Bortoli, Rory Shepherd, Sofia Leclerc, Riana Robinson and Elena Bortoli took to the course at Voice of America Park under the guidance of coach Alec Shepherd.

Gianluca Bortoli was the sole competitor in the junior race (16-19 age group), finishing 23rd with a time of 58min 20.8sec.

“This was a really creditable result for him,” Alec Shepherd said. “Although he knew he could have finished higher still if he had swam as well as he can.”

In the youth elite division female race (13-15), Elena Bortoli was eighteenth in 36:01.13, Sofia Leclerc twentieth with a time of 36:46.73, while Riana Robinson was 25th in 37:08.67.

“The girls race started thankfully after the rain had gone and the course had dried,” the coach said.

“Elena Bortoli had an excellent swim and was twelfth out of the water. She battled well on the bike to stay in contention, despite the bike not being the strongest part of her game and ran hard to power home in eighteenth of 62 starters, a great result for her with another year in the age group to come.

“Not far behind were her two team- mates. Sofia Leclerc found the swim hard but fought back brilliantly on the bike and run to finish 20th.

“Riana Robinson also overcame a difficult swim, but then posted a top-20 bike time to storm back before finishing fast on the run to finish 25th. For all to be in the top 25 is a huge result in this their first experience of the race.”

In the boys race, Rory Shepherd was aiming high and looking for a podium finish after his third in the final qualifier three weeks ago and his sixth in last year’s Nationals.

“Rory was fifth coming out of the swim and he was in decent shape,” the coach said.

“Unfortunately, he lost touch with the chasing pack on the bike and rode the second lap of the bike course on his own, losing time and slipping back.

“A strong run saw him home in ninth place, a fine result but frustrating in not matching last year’s performance.”

Roopra meanwhile finished eighteenth, with the coach highlighting how he swam hard to put himself in contention and then stayed out of trouble on the bike.

“All in all, for all of our athletes to finish so high in their races shows Bermuda’s current strength in the sport,” Alec Shepherd added.

“These events are challenging, a test of nerve and resilience as well as technique and fitness and our athletes should be proud of themselves.

“They will all enjoy a break now before building up again to the Carifta Triathlon Championships, which are in Bermuda in October.

“The Nationals are the biggest event in the American Junior and Youth elite calendar. The athletes have to qualify by finishing in the top 15 in at least one of the five qualifying events that take place through the season in the United States.

“To reach the Nationals therefore is an achievement in itself and all of America's best young triathletes aim for this event as their main race of the year.”