FENLAND Running Club star Becky Cousins has vowed to keep improving after she powered to a top-10 finish at the Duathlon World Championships.

The 23-year-old returned from her first international competition in Nancy, France, with an impressive ninth-placed finish in the Under-23 category.

The Great Britain ace ran 10km, cycled 40km and then ran another 5km in two hours and 40 minutes, but a mix-up with the bike section meant she could have finished even quicker.

The complex cycle route prompted a number of riders, including Cousins, to complete six laps instead of the necessary five.

“I was pretty gutted about the extra lap as it cost me quite a lot of time,” said Cousins. “The mistake added an extra 20 minutes and cost me several places.

“On the final run, I was the third fastest but I’d lost a bit of confidence by then.”

Cousins, of Sutton Bridge, said she was “proud to have had the opportunity to race for the country” and is confident that she can continue to improve.

She will aim to qualify for the both the world and European championships next year.

Cousins trains with Fenland Running Club under head coach Robin Parker. She became a surprise addition to the national duathlon side after she finished second in a qualifying race in Cambridge in April.