In 1996, Ian Thorpe set an Under 14, 200m Freestyle record at the NSW Combined High Schools Swimming Championships.

That NSWCHS record of 2:00:52 held firm for 30 years and has only now been bettered by a determined Liam Blair, who did so with the impressive time of 1:59:74 at Sydney Olympic Park Aquatic Centre.

“I’ve been eyeing it off for a year,” the Warners Bay High School student said.

“I ended up getting the Under 13 boys record last year and I asked mum, ‘What’s the record for next year?’ and she said, ‘Ian Thorpe’s’.”

The international swimming legend and former East Hills Boys High student is one of Australia’s most decorated athletes with 23 world records, 11 World Championship golds and five Olympic gold medals.

Rather than being daunted by the prospect of taking on a long-standing record set by one of the greatest swimmers of all time, Blair, who has more than a few sporting achievements under his belt, both in and out of the water, took it as both an inspiration and a challenge.

“I mean, I look up to him; he’s a very good swimmer,” the Year 8 student from Awabakal country near Lake Macquarie said.

“He got this record and then four years after this went to the Olympics, broke the world record and won Gold at the Olympics.

“So, it means a lot to get his record, a 30-year-old record, it’s amazing.”

Not that he needed to prove himself. Blair backed up his record-setting win to place second in the Final of the Under 14, Boys 50m Freestyle the same afternoon.

Little surprise then that he aspires to represent Australia at the Olympics one day.

His mum Kristen Blair said she was already feeling optimistic after Liam posted good times at recent competitions.

“I’m just ecstatic for him, like he said he’s been eyeing this off for 12 months, and he had a great campaign at Nationals two weeks ago,” she said.

“He was actually entered today quicker than the record so he knew he could do it. He just had to put his race together.

“The sky is the limit. As long as he’s enjoying it, we’ll continue to support him.”