Will Curtin breaks 29-year-old record at Bathurst Little Athletics

Earlier this month under 9s competitor Curtin completed his Bathurst Little Athletics 400 metres run in a time of one minute and 13.35 seconds, breaking a long-standing club record in the process.

A 29-year-old record, to be exact. 

The almost three-decade old figure says a lot for how difficult the mark was to achieve and how much Curtin has put into his training.

Curtin lowered the previous mark by 6.5 tenths of a second.

The record had belonged to Jason McClements, who still resides in Bathurst and whose children now compete in Bathurst athletics.

Breaking the record took Curtin by surprise.

"I felt like it wasn't that fast but it was faster," he said.

"I quit [Little Athletics] in under 7s but I've come back. I really enjoy the 70m, 100m and long jump and high jump."

Curtin's coach Wes Gibson said hard work has paid off for the young track star.

"He's been working really hard over the last four to five months after turning his focus to athletics," he said.

"The best thing was that it was one of my good mate's records so I was able to pass on the message to him."

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Gibson is excited to see how far Curtin can take his running over the next few years.

"I think in the future he's going to develop into a 400 metre runner but for now he's looking at the short stuff," he said.

"He's already down to a 73-second 400m, which is quick for a nine-year-old, and there's not many adults who can do that.

"He's a fierce competitor who trains hard and runs hard." 

It's been an exciting return to the sport for Curtin who has also qualified for this weekend's Little Athletics NSW State Track and Field Championships.

Funnily enough, it's not for the 400m.

Curtin has qualified for a trio of favourite events, the 70m, 100m and long jump. He opted to sit out to 400m to conserve himself for the shorter events.

Had Curtin contested the 400m this weekend, using his record mark as an entry time, it would have been faster than 13 of the 24 qualifying times at state level.

His sub-15 second time for the 100m puts him right in finals contention at the championships should all competitors run close to their qualifying marks. 

Curtin will be joined by 15 of his clubmates for the event at Sydney Olympic Park Athletic Centre to showcase a strong representative group for the Bathurst club.