HARRISON Smith was full of smiles after winning the Southend Triathlon.

The Chalkwell based 17-year-old produced a fine display to finish two minutes clear of the rest of the field.

And the youngster was thrilled to be able to perform so close to home.

“I’ve been saying for a while that Southend should stage its own triathlon so I was really excited to take part and I thought it was unbelievable,” said Smith.

“It’s the perfect place to have a triathlon because of the sea and how flat it is for the cycling and running.

“The bike was one of my fastest ever times and it was great to see so many people coming down to support it. Overall I thought it was excellent, especially for the first time they have done it.

“I’m sure there are things they will look to improve but I really enjoyed it and I’m sure it’s going to keep getting even better.

“The worst thing this time was the heat but there’s not much anyone could have done about that!”

Smith overtook his closest competitor - Travis McGrath - during the bike ride on his way to winning and the teenager was delighted to secure victory.

“I was happy to just come and try out the event so to win it was a really nice bonus,” said Smith.

“It was only the second time I had swam in the sea and, although I got one of my best times, I came out second about a minute behind the leader.

“I was a little bit worried at that stage but I managed to go in front while on the bike.

“I didn’t really go flat out on the run but I thought everyone did really well to finish. There were a lot of beginners who were fantastic and so were all the marshals and volunteers.”

And Smith was also keen to thank those who had contributed to his success.

“I need to thank TriNSwimWell for the unbelievable wet-suit because there’s no way I could’ve come out of the water second without it,” said Smith.

“I also need to thank Finely Tuned Physios because I’ve had an injury in the past few weeks and they are the reason I’m still running right now.”

Smith was followed home by the first female finisher Alice Hector, who came third overall and she was also full of praise for the event, “It was brilliant,” said Hector.

“There was a fantastic turnout and great support from the locals. It has the potential to be an iconic triathlon and I look forward to racing again next year.”