DORSET triathlete Elisabeth Hood is confident she can secure her place at the Junior World Championships at this weekend’s qualifier, despite a difficult season which has been hampered by an Achilles injury.

Hood travels to Mallory Park in Leicestershire on Sunday knowing she must win the British Under-20s Festival if she is to qualify for the Junior World Championships in Chicago on September 16.

The 17-year-old’s preparation has been far from ideal but she is still confident of booking her place. Hood said: “It has been a disappointing season so far but it is not over.

“At the start I was plagued with an Achilles injury from a training camp so I missed the start of the season and then had a few crashes during races.

“It is my first time racing abroad in the ETU (European Triathlon Union) Cups as a junior and it has been quite hot and I don’t think I have managed my nutrition and hydration well enough, so I have had some heat stroke incidents because of that.

“I did win the British Junior Aquathlon Championships in Hyde Park in May though and I’m hoping to be able to qualify for the Junior World Championships in Chicago later this month, where there is only one automatic spot, so you have to win.

“It has not been the best build-up because I have a little Achilles niggle again which has reoccurred so I have to be careful with it but I am confident because I have put in all the hard work and all the training so I think it will be good.”

Hood admits she was “impatient and immature” by not managing her Achilles problem properly before, but the runner insists she has learned her lessons and is also following a stricter nutrition plan.

The youngster has been identified as a rising star of her sport and has received funding and support from SSE via SportsAid.

Hood added: “I will be a second year junior during the next triathlon season so I will be trying to make the European Junior Championships and if I don’t make the World Junior Championships this year, then I will have a really good go at it next year.

“I want to maintain the high-quality level of training and keep taking each race as it comes and try my best in the Super Series.

“Long-term – like everyone else – I want to make the Olympics.

“I want to get one of those under my belt so I can enjoy it [before trying to compete for medals] and I also want to make the Commonwealth Games as well.

“I probably won’t make the next ones so I’ll be targeting the ones after either in the mixed relay or as an individual. Just getting that experience would be great.”

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