Flora Duffy received a confidence boost ahead of the start to the defence of her International Triathlon Union World Series women’s title in Abu Dhabi next month after being recognised by the ITU as the best overall female triathlete from last year.

The Bermudian reinforced her status as a world-class athlete last term after defending her ITU World Series and Xterra World Championship women’s crowns and pocketing nearly $300,000 in prize earnings alone — more than any other professional athlete, male or female, in the sport.

Duffy’s latest accolade appeared in an article on triathlon.org.

“Duffy will for ever be known as one, if not the top cyclists in the triathlon world,” the article read. “However, over the last couple of seasons, Duffy has proved that her strength does not lie in only pedalling alone.

“She has transitioned into one of the best overall triathletes, where she excels in all three disciplines — swim, bike and run.”

After missing the first two races of last year’s WTS, Duffy won six of the seven remaining events, including the Grand Final in Rotterdam last September, to take the title with a perfect score.

She finished second in the only race she lost, in Montreal in August, claiming victories in Yokohama, Leeds, Hamburg, Edmonton and Stockholm, as well as the end-of-season showpiece in the Netherlands.

“With her six WTS wins in 2017 and her second WTS World Crown, Duffy continued to be on fire in 2017, which only gets us more pumped and excited to see what she can do in 2018,” the article added.

Duffy also won a fourth consecutive Xterra World Championship crown before rounding off her sporting year in fine, but typical style, by winning the star-studded Island House Invitational in the Bahamas in November.

As well as competing in the first World Triathlon Series event in Abu Dhabi on March 3, Duffy is also scheduled to compete at April’s Commonwealth Games in Australia and at the MS Amlin World Triathlon Bermuda, where the former Warwick Academy student will race in front of her home fans for the first time as world champion.