United States-based athlete Lucy Van Dalen has slashed almost six seconds off her personal best over 1500m in less than a week to post a qualifying time for the London Olympics.
The 23-year-old ran 4min 5.76sec at a meeting in San Diego on Thursday to dip under the Olympic qualifying standard of 4:07 for the distance.
It was the 28th-fastest time in the world this year, and less than a second off Nikki Hamblin's national record. Hamblin withdrew from consideration for the Games on Saturday with an Achilles injury.
Van Dalen, a student at Stony Brook University in New York, had a best time of 4:11.59 before lowering it to 4:08.10 in New Jersey on Saturday before going even faster in San Diego.
She holds the NCAA 1500m indoor title and was fourth at the outdoor champs earlier this month.
NZN