WEYMOUTH could soon boast a world champion among its sporting stars.

Top triathlete Abi Bayley is plotting an assault on the World Half Ironman Championships in America.

She qualified for the event, in Florida next year, after an impressive performance in her last elite race of the season.

Bayley, 27, completed a gruelling UK 70.3 kilometres Ironman event at Longleat in five hours seven minutes, second just behind German winner Nina Eggert.

The race saw competitors carry out a tiring 1.9km swim, 90km bike ride and 21.1km run.

And the former Weymouth St Paul's Harrier's cross country star, who now races for the Bath-based Total Fitness team, was pleased with her performance.

She said: "I managed to catch the girl in second by the end of the first lap on the run and then held my position to the end, finishing second overall and top Brit.

"I'm pleased because from this result I have qualified for the World Half Ironman Championships in Florida in November 2006."

After an early start, Bayley began steadily in the swimming discipline, but still left the water with plenty still to do.

A gruelling bike course followed, featuring an energy-sapping head wind and mile-long hill.

Bayley added: "I tried to adopt the same tactics that worked so well for me in the World Long Distance Championships in Denmark a month ago, trying to take it as easy as possible to ensure I could run well off the bike.

"I managed to improve my position to third coming into transition, roughly three minutes down on second place and five minutes behind the leader."

Heading into the run, the Weymouth star wasn't to be denied as she made ground to take second place on a tough course.

Bayley stepped up to the long distance Ironman triathlon this season from the shorter version of the gruelling swim-bike-run sport.

Her performance at Longleat will be aired on Channel 4 on November 12 at 7.30am.