HAYLEY Kitching has had the run of her life.
The Coffs Harbour athlete broke the Australian Short Track record for the fastest time in the women’s 1000m event.
The 21-year-old set the national record while competing for Pennsylvania State University during last month’s Nittany Lion Challenge in Pennsylvania.
Her time of 2:38.45 broke the national record of 2:39.47, which was held by Zoe Buckman since 2017.
The magnificent run also saw her break the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) record, which had been held since 2019.
The new Australian record holder is currently in her senior year at Pennsylvania State University, where she has been a prominent member of the school’s Track and Field team.
The middle-distance runner has had a stellar college career, including twice being named a First Team All-American, and a fifth-place finish in the 800m event at the 2024 NCAA Division I Outdoor Track and Field Championships.
She’s no stranger to breaking records, having set the fastest ever time in the 19 Girls 800m event at the NSW All Schools Championships in 2022, a record which had stood for 31 years.
That year also saw her finish seventh in the 800m final of the World Junior Athletics Championships in Columbia.
By Aiden BURGESS
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