Tamika Williams' hopes of travelling to the Summer Olympics in Greece received a huge boost on the weekend when she set a new Bermuda record in the 800 metres.

Her time of two minutes, 4.40 seconds knocked three hundredths of a second off her old Bermuda record of 2.04.43 which she set at the Mt. Sac Relays in Walnot, California last year.

Although Williams finished second to winner Frances Santos (2.03.73) at the Cardinal Invitational at Stanford University on Saturday, the 25-year-old Bermudian was elated with her performance, believing it will give her added confidence in her bid to make the Games qualifying mark of 2.01.30.

The timing, she said, was also ideal since she is preparing for another big meet this weekend - the Occidental Games in Los Angeles - where she will run the 800 metres and possibly the 4x400 relay.

“I feel pretty excited. The weekend performance keeps me close to the Olympic qualifying. I keep running well each time I race and if I keep it up then I will be there,” said Williams yesterday.

The runner said her times continued to improve although she didn't believe she was in top shape.

Williams said her coaches in California believed if her training went as planned she could reach the Olympic standard by the end of this month or by early June.

“I am confident that I can make it,” said Williams. “I have been running quite well, turning in better and better times and I have been increasing my mileage.

“Right now I am working on new strategies and making sure of things, fixing one thing at a time and once it all comes together I am pretty sure that I can run under 2.01.

“I am not sure about any deadline for me to qualify but I guess it will be about a month before the Olympics, some time in July. But my coaches are pressing me, working hard with me and trying to get me to reach my goals as soon as possible.

“I am not in peak condition right now but I am healthy and I am running strong. I still have a lot of speed work to do and it's coming. I am just trying to be patient and making sure that I don't get injured. I need to stay healthy until the middle of August.”

Having completed her studies at university, Williams can now concentrate all of her attention on Olympic qualifying.

“The fact that I am not in school anymore helps my case,” she added. “I just finished my teaching studies at San Francisco State University and I'm focused on training and nothing else.

“My parents have been supporting me since January and I am concentrating on running and training very hard, putting in 110 percent. Some times I run the 400 metres for speed work and I enjoy it, but my event is definitely the 800 metres.”

Another Bermudian aiming for the Summer Games, Front Street Mile champion Ashley Couper, also competed on the weekend, although she was used by other runners as the “rabbit”.

However, Williams was impressed by her performance.

“Ashley decided to ‘rabbit' some races to work on her speed and she did quite well. She was concentrating on distance work and basic training, but she is looking very strong and is doing a great job in her build-up,” said Williams.