Front Street Mile champion Ashley Couper has had a perfect start to her season ? and wants to take her talents to the Island Games this summer.

Couper, who trounced the opposition during the showpiece event of International Race Weekend, won her first US 1500 metres race of the season in a time just four seconds outside her indoor personal best.

The California-based athlete romped home at the Husky Indoor Meet in Seattle in four minutes and 45 seconds and believes this could be her year.

After last season was punctuated by illness and injury, Couper is hoping for a better time of it and is already getting excited.

"I won the race and it felt really great," said Couper, who is hoping the Bermuda Track and Field Association decide to send a team to Shetland for the Island Games, even though they have yet commit to the event.

"The race went out pretty slowly, and I knew I didn't want to take the lead from the beginning. I was actually in about eighth place from the start. I moved my way up a little bit over the first two 300 metre laps until I was in about third place.

"The pace was still very comfortable, but I just wanted to sit on the heels two leaders until I was confident that if I went, they wouldn't catch me.

"Then with two laps to go, I took the lead and picked up the pace. I ended up running negative splits ? the first half of the race was about 2:26 and the second half about 2:19.

"It felt really good. I never really felt a whole lot of discomfort, which I think shows that if I get in a faster race, with faster competition, I can run quite a bit faster. I am very happy with the win, though."

And she is hoping her form can carry her into international competition for her country.

She has her sights on the Commonwealth Games next year in Melbourne, but for this year there are the Island Games ? and a different kind of attraction.

"I would most definitely be interested in competing in the Island Games," she said.

"It sounds like there is a big contingent of other athletes in other disciplines going and I would love to be a part of it.

"If I could get sponsored to go, I would jump at the opportunity. I think it would be awesome to go with a huge group of Bermudians to represent our country in many different sports. It would be really special to be a part of that."

But, after the troubles she suffered last year despite her equally impressive January victory in the Front Street Mile, she is attempting to curb some of her obvious enthusiasm for running.

"I think this is a great start to what I hope will be a long and successful season," she added.

"I need to stay healthy and keep from getting injured. If I can do those two things, and keep up with my current training level, I know I can run a PB this year.

"I need to not get too excited this early in the season, as it is May and June that really count in track."