Tyler Butterfield went home last night after another Bank of Butterfield Mile victory, but not knowing that he had also achieved the record he had been seeking.

Butterfield matched Michael Donawa's feat of three straight wins for a high school student.

But it wasn't until he got a call last night at home from this newspaper that he realised he had also eclipsed Donawa's six-year-old record of 4:27.7 by just four-10ths of a second.

Unofficially his time was pegged at 4:28 but official results afterwards put him at 4:27.3, 14 seconds faster than his winning time of 4:41.7 last year in the newly introduced under-18 age group. Donawa's time came in the secondary schools category in 1993.

"That's great, it's sort of nice to get it this way,'' said Butterfield at home.

"I guess next year I'll have to try to go for that one. When I went through the first 400 (metres) a lady, Mrs Beasley, shouted out 62 seconds and at the half it was 2:09.

"Then coming back it was 3:20, so my last one was a bit slower. Next year I'll try to work on that, keeping them (splits) steady.'' The fact that 15-year-old Tyler, the son of veteran runners Jim and Debbie Butterfield, shaved 14 seconds off last year's time suggests that the new mark is also within his reach next year.

"I hope I can still keep improving like I am, I'm pleased with how I'm doing now,'' he said afterwards.

This was not only Butterfield's third straight victory but his fourth in all, having won as a primary student in 1994 with what is still a record -- 5:03.2.

To put his record time in perspective, it was faster than the time by local men's winner David Dunwoody and one of the Kenyan elite runners.

"When I said my prayers I asked God to be with me and to try to have the best race I've had. I said my prayers for a perfect night and my best race and I did. The conditions were much better than last year.'' Second to the Saltus student was Warwick Academy's Jeremiah Smith in 4:46.3 while Larry Marshall of CedarBridge was third in 4:47.

"I ran good for just coming off an injury,'' said Smith.

Said Marshall: "I just wish I could have gone out faster with these guys, but nevertheless it was a good race.'' Tiffany Eatherley ran away with the under-18 girls title, beating Jennifer Young by less than two seconds in an exciting finish. Eatherley broke the tape in 5:46.5 while Young came in in 5:48.1. Ashley Robinson-Roberts was third in 5:53.4.

There was disappointment for two past champions, with defending champion Shar-dae Whitter being accidently tripped soon after the start and only recovering sufficiently to finish 10th in 6:24.4. Patrina Swan, the 1996 winner, was put out of the race about halfway through by a recurring back injury which required her to be taken to hospital by ambulance.

"It was tough out there but I enjoyed it,'' said the new winner, Eatherley.

Young's late push was not enough: "Of course I'm disappointed I didn't win,'' she said. "The half was what I wanted it to be in, I just couldn't close it in at the end.'' The steadily improving Flora Duffy defended her under-12 title, setting a new record with her time of 5:53.1. Daneka Borden was second in 6:14.1 and Jessica Palmer third in 6:19.5.

Tyler Abbott took the under-12 boys with a winning time of 5:40.0 while Chayce Smith was second in 5:45.1 and Coyatito Smith third in 5:50.6.

RECORD TIME! -- Tyler Butterfield breaks the tape and Michael Donawa's six-year-old record to clock the fastest time ever by a local schoolboy.

FLORA DUFFY looks fresh as she sets a new record time for under-12 girls of 5:53.1.