Laura Muir labelled her big 800m personal best at the Monaco Diamond League a ‘huge’ boost to the belief she can win an Olympic medal in Tokyo.
The Scot, who this week withdrew her two-lap entry to focus on the 1500m at the Games, measured out her metric mile endurance and top-end speed to run a remarkable 1:56.73.
It sliced 1.69 seconds off the mark she set at the same meeting in 2019 and smashed Lynsey Sharp’s Scottish record.
“I just thought "just run as fast as you can! This is Monaco, I know I am in great shape,” said the 28-year-old.
“This is my last race before Tokyo, so I just wanted to give it my best and put on paper the sort of shape that I know I am in and I am just so happy with that.”
“Running 1:56 is giving me huge confidence for Tokyo. I will only be running the 1500m now, but I couldn't have asked for a better performance ahead of Tokyo.”
After the pacemaker took the field through the bell in 54.80, Muir surged past training partner Jemma Reekie in the final 50m in a second lap timed at 61.93.
Muir’s clocking was just over half a second off Kelly Holmes’s British record that has stood since 1995. It was the fastest 800m run by a European woman since 2008.
Reekie, herself set to contend for the Olympic rostrum in the event, crashed through her own personal best with 1:56.96 to go third on the British all-time list.
“Having a training partner like Jemma is huge, Jemma has made me a much faster 800m runner,” revealed Muir.
“We push each other so much and we've both run 1:56, so I have definitely become faster because of her.
“I am going to go home tomorrow, have a week at home before flying out to Tokyo and just train as hard as I can, so I am in even better shape in Tokyo.
“I want to win a medal, that is all I am focusing on.”
Meanwhile, Tokyo-bound Elliot Giles ran his second fastest ever 800m outdoors with 1:44.07 to finish fourth in the 800m at the Herculis meeting.
The Rio Olympian challenged his 1:44.05 personal best, set at Sunday’s Diamond League meeting in Stockholm.
Recent British pole vault record breaker Holly Bradshaw cleared 4.70 but exited the competition at 4.80 for fourth place.
Sportsbeat 2021