Kira Ellis is plotting a new mission following her triumphant performance in the Europe Triathlon Junior Women Cup over the weekend in Riga, Latvia.

The 19-year-old triathlete said she wants to step into the elite level and crack into the top 100 in the world ranking of the International Triathlon Union.

Making it to the top isn’t easy.

In fact, during the height of her international career, six-time Southeast Asian Games gold medalist Kim Mangrobang barely made it to the top 100 despite actively joining competitions to gain ranking points with the guidance of Portugese mentor Sergio Santos.

But Ellis is determined to work hard to barge into the prestigious list headed by elite triathletes from European countries like Great Britain, France, Germany and Italy and Belgium.

“There’s a lot of work to do but I think I’m healthy now. That was a good start in my new season of racing. So hopefully, we can build it up,” said Ellis, who took a six-month break to recover from a shin splint injury.

“I think I need to be in the top 100 in the world. I know I still have a lot of catching up to do but I love the challenge. It’s going to be really fun so, yeah, I can’t wait.”

Ellis pulled off a shocker when she ruled the prestigious European event despite having a long layoff. Prior to her title conquest, her last tournament was the 2024 World Triathlon Championship Finals that was held in Torremolinos, Spain on 20 October 2024.

But she hardly showed any rust as she posted an impressive performance of one hour, five minutes and seven seconds to outshine even the most feared young triathletes in Europe.