“WHEN the horn went I started swimming but I wasn’t going anywhere, or rather I was, I was going backwards. Someone had grabbed my leg and used me to catapult themselves forward. I started to panic.”


That was sixth former Seb Garry’s introduction to his first World Triathlon Sprint Age Group Championships in Chicago.


Imagine the panic. Garry’s parents had helped fund his trip out to the American city and he was stuck in reverse while all around him his rivals, some four years his senior, were leaving him well behind.


He said: “I put the panic behind me quickly.” He was in 50th position when he exited the water. Garry then produced ‘the ride of my life’ to jump off the bike in 13th place 20 kilometres later before overtaking yet more people on the 5km run to finish fifth.


The Sir William Borlase’s student and High Wycombe Cycling Club member said: “I still haven’t processed it all yet in my head. It’s the best success I’ve had in my short life and hopefully in a few years’ time I will have even more. To finish fifth was just amazing.


“I thought mid-pack, something like 50th out of 90, would be alright. When I found out where I had finished I was ecstatic.”


Because it was a laps event Garry didn’t realised quite where he had come until sometime afterwards.


He said: “It was such a hot day. It was the hardest race of my life what with the heat and the overwhelming emotion of it all, I was spent, I was completely on empty.


“I sat in a paddling pool full of ice for about ten minutes after the race until I felt good enough to walk. I hobbled over to where my dad and coach were and they told me I had come fifth.”


The 16-year-old’s performance in the U20 race means he has now pre-qualified for next year’s World Championships in Mexico as he chases his ultimate dream of a place in the Tokyo Olympics in five years.