By JARROD POTTER
STRIDING his way to the top of Victoria’s elite racers, Nikola Mandic is step-for-step one of the best race-walkers in the country as he continues to smash records and win titles.
For Casey Little Athletics dynamo race-walker Mandic, 12, from Narre Warren, he’s right in the midst of a purple patch, recently claiming a Little Athletics Victoria state championship victory and knocking off a long-held state record.
He finished the 1500m race-walk at the Little Athletics Victoria State Track and Field Championships last month in a flying time, as he stopped the clock at 6.58.71 to smash five seconds off the previous record.
It may seem like he did it easily and smashed an attainable record without much fuss, but Mandic’s performance set the new standard after the previous mark was held for 33 years.
The old record was set around the same time Mandic’s mother was competing in Little Athletics herself. For the fast-paced walker, he was excited to brush off some old injury concerns and post the impressive time… but he had to scurry at the end to make up ground.
“It was very thrilling and I was excited I got it – as a couple of weeks before that I had an injury on my leg,” Mandic said.
“It was to my hip – just when I started race-walking it came up.”
“It was by five seconds, the previous record was 7.03, but with 200 metres before the line, my coach was saying I was five-seconds behind the record, so I had to do this quick sprint and I was just worried about when I crossed the finished line if I got it.
“I asked this person what my time was and he said 6.58 and I was so excited by it.”
With the new mark for the Victorian Little Athletics under-12 boys 1500m walk, Mandic hopes to attend some national-standard events and smash another record next season when he returns to defend his title.
“I want to go for a third one,” Mandic said.
“It would mean a big thing as it will last for a long time.”
Mandic wanted to thank his parents and his coach Elke Shantelle for their support.
