Young gun fires to break 22-year-old CQ swim record

SWIMMING: Caribeae's Koda Milburn likes to let his swimming do the talking.

At just nine years old, he's a star on the rise, his potential endless.

He has mastered all four strokes and considers butterfly his best but it's in freestyle that he has achieved the most remarkable achievement of his young career.

Koda etched his name into the history books after breaking one of Central Queensland's longest-standing records at last weekend's Tropic of Capricorn meet.

He shaved a quarter of a second off the record, set in 1995 by former CQ Aquajets swimmer Matthew Lowry.

"I didn't really notice I had broken the record until I got home... and I was really shocked,” Koda said.

The pocket rocket achieved the feat on his way to being crowned the nine to 10 years boys age champion at the annual meet courtesy of six firsts, one second and a third in the eight events he contested.

Coach Jodie Shanks said her young charge did an amazing job.

"We didn't set ourselves for any records; it was about putting swims together and him being able to race the way he's been asked to do it,” Shanks said.

"He just loves swimming, he loves racing and he's got that little fire in his belly.

"He's quite a smart kid when it comes to racing. He knows what's going on.”

Koda's next assignment is next month's state swimming championships in Brisbane where he will compete for Caribeae and for Central Queensland in the relays.

He is hoping his good form continues at Brisbane Aquatic Centre.

Koda, whose idol is American superstar Michael Phelps, has no hesitation when asked where his future lies.

"I want to be a swimmer because it's really exciting when you swim fast and get a gold medal,” he said.