Middle distance runner Taylor-Ashley Bean warmed up for the upcoming Carifta Games with a record-breaking display competing for Virginia State University at the weekend’s Fred Hardy Invitational in Richmond, Virginia.The 18-year-old freshman ran a personal best 4:42.82 in the 1500 metres to break the junior female national record previously held by elder sister Alexis Bean by more than three seconds.Bean won her 1500 metres section on the way to finishing eighth in an overall field of 63 runners to give indication she is peaking at the right time with the 2012 Carifta Games starting on Saturday.Bean’s elder sister set the old mark of 4:45.90 competing for Bermuda at the 2009 Carifta Games in St Lucia.The Lady Trojans athlete is one of five runners from the Platinum Force group, coached by former national coach Gerry Swan, who will compete in this week’s Carifta Games at the National Sports Centre.As well as establishing a new junior 1500 record, Bean finished fourth in the 800 metres with a time of 2:14.63 and was a member of her school’s 4x800 metres relay team that placed third at the meet.The daughter of ex-Southampton Rangers and Somerset Eagles footballer, Wayne Bean, is one of 55 athletes representing Bermuda in Carifta.Bean will carry the Island’s medal hopes in the Under-20 girls 400m, 4x400 relay, 1500m, 3000m and 5000m events.Her record-breaking run over the weekend was just one of several outstanding performances during her time at Virginia State University.Competing indoors at the Doug Raymond Invitational earlier this year, Bean ran a personal best 5:10.53 for the mile.She has also had student athlete of the week honours bestowed upon her by the school and was chosen as joint MVP at this year’s Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA) Indoor Championships on the back of a solid display on the track.Bean won the women’s mile, finished third in the 800 metres and ran the anchor leg of the medley relay for the victorious Lady Trojans before helping her school clinch a maiden indoor title with victory in the 3000m.