Isabelle Bovey had the second fastest time in the 800 meters indoor

Isabel Povey ran the second fastest indoor 800 meters ever by a British athlete as she clocked 1 minute 57.43 seconds to win the BU Terrier Classic in Boston.

The 25-year-old was almost two seconds faster than her previous best time, both indoors and outdoors, and is now only behind 2024 Olympic champion Kelly Hodgkinson, who holds the British indoor 800m record with a time of 1:57.18.

Bovey’s time is the fastest in the world this year and makes her the eighth-fastest woman ever at the indoor distance.

“It was definitely the race of my life,” she said., external

“Things with my coach and I are going really well and I’m in a happy and healthy place.

“I’m in shock but it makes sense for the training I’ve been doing.”

Bovey is targeting success over the summer at the Commonwealth Games, where she will represent Wales, and at the European Championships, in her hometown of Birmingham in August.

In September, British Georgia duo Hunter Bell and Hodgkinson won silver and bronze medals in the 800 meters at the World Championships in Tokyo.

The World Indoor Athletics Championships are held in Poland in March, which could be a realistic target for Bovey.

“There’s a lot of competition with only two spots and Georgia and Kelly obviously won [World Championships] Bovey, who is based at the University of Birmingham, added last year’s medals.

“I’ll see how things go at the British Champs in a couple of weeks and then evaluate.

“This time now will give me a lot of confidence to get on the world stage, have some Diamond League meets, and prove to everyone and myself that I can compete.

“The European and Commonwealth Games this year are good because they are a stepping stone towards the World Championships and the Olympic Games.

“The sky’s the limit – I can lose a lot of confidence. Knowing that I can do it this time and then proving it, it means a lot to me. Now I feel like I can do anything.”