Goule rounding into medal contention form

Natoya Goule's quest to become a medal contender on the world stage in the women's 800 metres seems to be gathering traction after the 27-year-old ran two national records to kick-start her 2019 indoor season.

The former Manchester High School athlete followed up her national record-breaking effort of 2:37.55 in the 1,000 metres on January 26 with another Jamaican indoor record last weekend when she registered 1:59.13 at the Millrose Games in New York.

Those performances are coming off the heels of Goule's best season as a senior athlete, in which she won a bronze medal at the Commonwealth Games and broke the outdoor 800m national record twice, with her 1:57.69 and 1:56.15 efforts.

And Goule believes those efforts are setting her up to be able to challenge for medals at the pending IAAF World Championships and Olympic Games.

"I believe I can get down to 1:55 or 1:54 because last year, my fastest 800m indoor was 1:59.8, and I was able to come down to 1:56.1 outdoors, and now, I am down to 1:59.1 indoors, so it is suggesting that I can make another jump whenever the outdoor season starts," Goule said. "I know I have to get down to 1:54 or 1:55 if I am going to medal, and I am just happy things are coming together."

Before the indoor season comes to an end, the diminutive athlete is hoping to lower her 800m personal best to 1:58.

"Based on training, right now, I am ahead of where I was last year this time, so I believe I will be able to come down to 1:58, and hopefully I can just transitioned well into the outdoor season," she said.