The 10,000m duel in the 59th edition of the Zatopek Classic also doubled as the Australian track championship.

As they raced in the colours of Bendigo University and Bendigo Harriers respectively, Buchanan and Threlfall were determined to achieved their fastest time for the distance.

Both did so emphatically.

Buchanan's time of 28 minutes 26.14 seconds lowered the residential record of 29:08.89 he ran in the Zatopek 10 at Albert Park's Lakeside Stadium two years earlier.

He finished a fast-paced showdown in seventh place as King Island's Stewart McSweyn again reigned supreme in a time of 27:23.80.

Buchanan's other best mark for the distance was 29.06 in this year's Burnie 10 road classic.

Based in Echuca, but still racing for Harriers, Threlfall beat the 30-minute mark for the first time.

Threlfall clocked a great time of 29:34.45 to be 20th overall as McSweyn broke the national record of 27:24.95 set by Ben St Lawrence on November 1 in 2001.

The night's action at Zatopek included the Steve Hooker pole vault challenge.

A week after he soared 4.80m to win gold in the under-18 pole vault at the Australian All Schools titles in Perth, Kyabram's James Woods added to a remarkable run of success.

Woods, 16, teamed with Diamond Valley's Elyssia Kenshole to take out the vault challenge at Zatopek.

A leap of 4.75m earned Woods, a young gun with South Bendigo Athletics Club, equal second place.

Kenshole's mark of 4.10m was best of the women and ensured the South Bendigo-Diamond Valley combination would be first in a challenge to honour the 2008 Olympic gold medallist, 2009 world champion, and dual Commonwealth Games champion.

Have you signed up to the Bendigo Advertiser's daily newsletter and breaking news emails? You can register below and make sure you are up to date with everything that's happening in central Victoria.