Guyana's Marian Burnette romped to her career best performance with an historic gold medal run in the women's 800 metres for Louisiana State University in the American National Collegiate Athletics Association (NCAA) first division indoor athletics championships on Saturday night in Arkansas.

Burnette blitzed a strong field to win the final in a personal best indoor time of 2 minutes 05.33 seconds to become the first LSU woman ever to the win event indoors, at the university of Arkansas Randall Tyson track.

The performance was also a first as a junior had won the event, giving the Guyanese the distinction of winning the event on her very first try.

Burnette's victory also helped LSU win the women's team title for which the Linden athlete also contributed by starting the team's 4X400 metres relay which placed third.

The meet which was televised yesterday by the ESPN2 channel and beamed to Guyanese audiences by WRHM Channel 7, saw Burnette, who was favoured to win after qualifying with the best time of 2:05.16 in the preliminaries, take control of the race with the last lap of four left on the 200 metres track, and powering to the line ahead of American Kristina Batton (2.05.49) of Florida State University.

Alice Schmidt of South Carolina was the early leader but Burnette timed her move to perfection and passed the German on the curve as the former faded to third place in 2.06.43.

Burnette's previous best was a 2:06.06 run earlier in the indoor season and her victory was her fifth 800m victory on the circuit this season which includes the South East Conference championship and gave her the number one ranking.

Burnette's victory was significant as she competed with an injured ankle which she twisted while training last Tuesday. At the time the Guyana Police Force runner, was not sure of competing but excellent work by LSU's medical staff allowed her to compete and achieve her career best feat.

In her first year of a scholarship to LSU after competing with distinction for Essex Community College for two years in the NCAA second division, Burnette will now turn her attention to the outdoor season where she will be aiming to record another victory in May.

Trinidad and Tobago's Mellisa De Leon competing for Florida States was seventh in yesterday's 800m in 2:07.13.

There was also more good news for West Indies runners when Grenada's Alleyne Francique also of LSU won the men's 400 metres in 45.58 seconds.