BRITISH middle-distance legend Brendan Foster has tipp-ed teenage Dorset sensation Charlotte Moore for the top after her fearless sixth place performance in the 800 metres final last night.

The 17-year-old Bournemouth Athletic Club runner clocked one minute 59.75 seconds in the climax to the women's event in front of a 38,000 crowd in a packed City of Manchester Stadium.

It is the first time a British junior has run under two minutes in the 800m as Moore beat her previous under-20 record of 2:00.95 which she had set in the semi-finals 24 hours earlier.

World champion Maria Mutola, of Mozambique, took gold in 1:57.35. Canada's Diane Cumm-ins secured silver in 1:58.82 and Agnes Samaria, of Namibia, bronze in 1:59:15.

Moore, left trailing at the back of the eight-strong field for the first 500 metres, burst into life in the final 300m.

Just as she had done in both her heat and semi-final, the BAC teenager finished spectacularly to move up to sixth on the last bend and in the run-in to the line. It was a magnificent mature display by a 17-year-old in her first major senior championships - one that must have delighted Moore's parents Alison and Bob, who were watching from the stands in Manchester.

Moore's coach Christina Boxer will also have been impressed with her protg's big meeting temperament on an unforgettable occasion when she was given her introduction to the big time.

Foster, BBC television's distinguish-ed athletics commentator, said: "Char-lotte Moore ran a fantastic race. To be honest, she didn't expect to be in the Commonwealth Games and she certainly didn't expect to be in the final.

"She has been so impressive in the rounds coming into the final that you can tell she is a star of the future.

"Charlotte's time of 1:59.75 was a fantastic performance in a race in which seven women ran under two minutes.

"It was a superb world-class race, probably the greatest 800 metres race ever."

Charlotte said: "I am so happy. I can't believe it that I have finished sixth in the Commonwealth Games final. I would like to thank Christina Boxer, my coach, because she has been great. It was so quick at the start but I thought that was going to happen.

"But I quickly got into a rhythm, just ran my own race and am delighted with how it turned out."

Women's 800m final: 1 M Mutola (Moz) 1:57.35 (GR), 2 D Cummins (Can) 1:58.82, 3 A Samaria (Nam) 1:59.15, 4 S Scott (Sco) 1:59.30, 5 T Lewis (Aus) 1:59.73, 6 C Moore (Eng) 1:59.75, 7 J Fenn (Eng) 1:59.86, 8 M Ballentine (Jam) 2:03.75.