Cornwall's 800m national champion Jemma Simpson set down the perfect marker for next week's 20th European Athletics Championships in Barcelona when she raced to a personal best 1:58.74 in the IAAF Diamond League meeting at Monaco.

The 26-year-old Great Britain star from Newquay & Par Athletics Club finished runner-up to USA's Aliysia Johnson, who ran this year's fastest competitive women's 800 in 1:57.34 at the star-studded Herculis 2010.

Simpson used the run in Monaco – where she also set a new pb last season – as her final warm-up run ahead of next week's European Championships.

Heading into Thursday night's race Simpson was confident of doing well following a successful three-week spell at the GB altitude training facility in Font Romeu, France.

Simpson wanted a fast race, got one and will now head to Barcelona for next week's European Championships boosted by her new pb.

She said: "I felt amazing and finally broke the 1.59 barrier. I know I can run faster."

Simpson's first race next week is the 800 heats, due to take place next Tuesday morning in Barcelona.

City of Plymouth's GB sprinter Katherine Endacott is continuing her warm weather warm-up at the team's holding camp, the purpose-built Villa Real de St.

António Sports Centre on the Western Algarve in Portugal. Endacott, 30, is coached by Linford Christie and enjoying the seclusion and acclimatisation programme ahead of next week's Championships in Spain, where she hopes to make GB's relay starting four.

Exeter Harriers' Jo Pavey, 37, is set to concentrate on marathon running after competing in the 10,000 and 5,000 meters for Great Britain in Barcelona next week.

Former Commonwealth Games silver medallist Pavey is also training in Portugal in preparation for the next race she is focusing on, Tuesday's 10,000m women's European final.

Britain's Jodie Williams meanwhile moved effortlessly into the final of the women's 200 metres at the IAAF World Junior Championships with victory in her semi-final heat in Moncton, Canada.

The 16-year-old sprinting sensation triumphed in the 100m on Thursday and showed no ill effects from her exploits as she won her heat in 23.20 seconds to reach yesterday's final.

"I'm absolutely shattered and I'm going straight to bed when I get in and I'll sleep all day tomorrow," said Williams, who extended her remarkable unbeaten record to 151 races going back five years.

"I was coming round the bend and they were pushing me but I just needed to get there for myself to have the confidence going into the final, but I definitely had to push."

Emily Diamond also progressed to the final as she finished second in heat three in 23.47secs.

The night session delivered more British success as Laura Samuel and Andrew Sutcliffe added silver and bronze with success in the triple jump and pole vault respectively.