The 20-year-old Wodonga export broke Jesse Featonby’s men’s mini-triathlon record from the 2012-13 season by a whopping nine seconds during the Albury Wodonga Triathlon Club meet on Sunday at Allans Flat.

After going stroke-for-stroke with training partner Damon Boag for the 300m swim and most of the 13km ride, Rodgers opened up a sizeable advantage in the 3km run to the finish – posting a blistering time of 32:42.

Boag crossed the line second after 33 minutes and 18 seconds, while Flynn Adaway, who also trains with Rodgers, finished third with a 35:45.

Rodgers was in the middle of a training camp at Mount Beauty with Melbourne-based facility SBRG Performance, where he suggested to his coach the team should take a few athletes along for the local event.

What makes the win more impressive was the fact Rodgers had spent 100 kilometres on the bike the previous day.

“There was no intentions to try and get a record, it was only meant to be a hit-out,” Rodgers said.

“It was a big personal best, I haven’t gone that quick at all before.”

Rodgers has been living in Melbourne for the last eight months and started working with Richard Stewart from SBRG Performance after a two-year stint with his father, Steve, who sparked his inspiration for the sport four years ago.

“I was a swimmer originally and moved on from that to do more cycling and put a couple of things together and decided to do a triathlon,” he said.

“Jesse (Featonby) gave me some great tips when I was starting off and it was good to have someone there locally at the level he was to ask for bit and pieces on how to do things.”

Stewart said Rodgers’ decision to join his elite training group in Melbourne evolved over time, but he has since become one of his most promising athletes.

“I think running is his pure strength and he’s a very good swimmer and a cunning cyclist,” Stewart said.

“By the end of next year he would want to be becoming fairly prominent around Australia, but I certainly think that’s a possibility.”

Rodgers will remain in Mount Beauty for another week-and-a-half, before heading off to Robina for his first race in the under 23 national series on January 21.

Victorian Brooke McCullough also set a new local record in the women’s 14-16 age group with a 38:31, falling just nine seconds behind Julie Gollan-Foard’s leading female race mark, while Melinda Grigg now holds the fastest women’s over 50 time, completing the race in 46 minutes.