Wanaka triathlete Nicky Samuels has celebrated her best result with a podium finish at the Swedish round of the ITU world series.
Samuels was third and New Zealand team-mate Andrew Hewitt claimed silver at the event in Stockholm on Saturday.
For Samuels, it was a career-best performance in a world series race, and a podium breakthrough that propels her to ninth in the world rankings before next week's final in Edmonton.
''I am coming into great shape now, which is good timing with the world series final next weekend, so hopefully, I can hold it together for that,'' Samuels said.
''This sort of course really suits us - the crisp, cold water that sort of pains the face and then the rain on the bike and a tough run.''
It was Hewitt's first world series podium in three years, and the Christchurch athlete looks in strong shape at the business end of the season as she moves to fifth in the world rankings.
''Today was so hard. I just kept pushing and pushing and that sprint at the end up the hill was so tough,'' Hewitt said.
''It was ideal for the Kiwis. We got out of the swim in the front group and we just kept pushing and pushing and our group was working really well together.
"We kept putting time into the second group and then on to the run, it was tough.
''We were only 10 in that front group at the end so there weren't many of us and we kept working to get that time going into the run.''
Simone Ackerman (19th) and Rebecca Clarke (28th) were the other New Zealanders in the race.
In the men's event, Tony Dodds (Wanaka) had a solid 14th place, while 19-year-old Aucklander Sam Ward came home in 37th as he continues to adapt to racing in elite company.
