POOLE youngster Louis Robinett has set a world record in his age category by running a 5K in 17 minutes and 40 seconds.

This milestone was achieved by the nine-year-old at the Poole parkrun on October, Saturday 7, and came with a remarkable age grade of 92.55 per cent.

The age-grading system, which evaluates an athlete's performance against the world record for their age and gender, positions Robinett at a “World Class Level” with a 92.55 per cent grade.

Already known for breaking the UK Parkrun record for his under-11s age category last year, Robinett's latest feat elevates him from a national level to the fastest nine-year-old in the world over five kilometres.

Reacting to his groundbreaking achievement, Robinett stated: "I’m on top of the world right now!

“It’s a huge deal to break a world record, and I couldn't have done it without the support of my family and the team at Poole Runners."

Louis' father Paul Robinett admitted: "I'm no expert on running but I support my son wholeheartedly.

“His progression is all thanks to the dedicated coaching and support from the team at Poole Runners Juniors that Louis has reached this level of achievement."

In line with parkrun regulations, which mandate that children under 11 run within arm's reach of an adult, Louis was accompanied by senior club member Dion Garner.

Garner, an accomplished runner in his own right, praised Robinett: "It's been an absolute pleasure to run alongside Louis.

“His natural talent, combined with his dedication and spirit, is mind-blowing.

“He's not just a star in the making; he's a star right now."