Gordon Benson insisted it would have taken more than a fractured finger to stop him from returning home from the Australian Youth Olympic Festival with a medal.
The 18-year-old triathlete fractured the middle finger of his right hand in a training accident in the days before his opening event at the Sydney International Regatta Centre.
Benson shrugged off the pain to finish 13th in the men’s individual event before returning to help Great Britain claim bronze in the mixed team relay.
He joined forces with fellow Team GB members Marc Austin, Georgia Taylor-Brown and Sophie Coldwell as they clocked 1:12.41hours for third.
And Benson, who admitted to being less than impressed with his individual race, was adamant he barely even noticed the injury to his finger.
“To be fair the finger didn’t bother me too much during the races although I did get my splint stuck in my shoe and it fell off but other than that it was fine,” said Benson.
“I had high hopes for the individual event going in but it was one of the worst races of my life and I was gutted afterwards.
“But thankfully we had the relay to come straight after it and I was determined to make up for it and that is what I did.
“I had hoped to have had two medals to show for my efforts but I will take the bronze, it was a good race.
“It doesn’t quite make up for the disappointment in my first race but it is good to finish on a high and in a better mood.”
© Sportsbeat 2013