English teen sensation sends 800m warning following record-breaking performance

England’s 17-year-old Phoebe Gill sent shockwaves in the world of track and field, running the second fastest time in the world this year over the 800m race.

The youngster set a European U18 800m record of 1:57.86 at the Belfast Irish Milers Meet that happened on Saturday and she won the race, beating Erin Wallace and Annemarie Nissen, who finished second and third respectively.

Scottish athlete Wallace clocked 2:00.23 to cross the finish line second with Danish athlete Nissen completed the podium after clocking 2:00.26.

With her time, the junior athlete smashed the European U18 mark of 1:59.65, set by East Germany’s Marion Geissler-Hübner in 1979.

The youngster has also hit the Olympic qualifying standard of 1:59.30 and will be competing against the likes of Keely Hodgkinson, the World 800m bronze medallist, for the top prize at the national trials.

She will certainly have her work cut out since the field will also comprise Jemma Reekie, who has been making headlines recently and her recent performance being a second-place finish at the Diamond League Meeting in Doha, Qatar.

Follow the Pulse Sports Kenya Instagram handle for more news.

As quoted by BBC, the youngster was in a state of shock after setting the time, saying: “I'm in shock because I was late for the race because I got the timings mixed up.

"Then I got out there a bit faster than the 58 (seconds) I was supposed to run on the first lap. I just kept pushing and in the end, I didn't even clock that I'd done it. I thought I was dreaming," she said.

By running that time, the youngster has also threatened the world leading time set by Tsige Duguma, that currently stands at 1:57.73.