after a slow start to the 1986 season, missing out on commonwealth games selection, she improved in the second half of the season, earning selection for the european championships in stuttgart, where she ran 2:00.41 in the heats. in the semi-final, she ran 2:00.50 to narrowly miss the final. she achieved her season's best in september, running 1:59.85. in 1987, bailey had another slow start to the season and missed world championships selection. she once again found her best form in september. on 11 september, she finished third in the iaaf grand prix final in brussels, behind ana quirot and slobadanka colovic. then on 15 september in lausanne, she reached her peak at 800 metres, running 1:58.97, to set a new english national record. the previous mark was christina boxer's 1:59.05 from 1979. the uk record was held by the scottish born welsh athlete kirsty wade, with 1:57.42. bailey's record would stand for almost three years, until diane edwards ran 1:58.65 in 1990.