More than 250 competitors took part, with about half of those from Tamworth, Armidale and Sydney, South East Queensland and Victoria.

Little Athletics NSW and Athletics NSW representative Mick Gardiner said from the feedback he has received the 2019 carnival will be the beginning of bigger things to come.

“While we won't get official results until Tuesday it was a successful carnival purely from a participation level; we had athletes from all over the country here in Dubbo,” he said.

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“The fact that Athletics NSW sanctioned it was a big draw-card for athletes and has cemented the future of the event.

“It will be in athletes diaries for years to come now I think.”

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Armidale Masters athlete Jay Stone said he has wanted to come to the carnival in the past, but the official status of the event is what encouraged him to compete this year.

“I coach a big squad in Armidale and I participate at the world masters level, so the fact I can bring squad members here and we can all get official times means we will keep coming back,” he said.

“I am preparing to go to Poland for the world indoor championships in March so meets like this one will now help me to get times on the board and I am using it as a stepping stone to the world champs.

“I love this track it’s so fast, the fastest 200 and 400-metre races that I have run have been here, so it is good that it’s now an official event because that was what got me over the line to compete here myself and bring my squad from Armidale.”

Dubbo Athletics Club coach Mark Penman said sanctioning the event was a positive but so was shortening the event.

“The changes have been so good for the event, with the weather being so warm it was a great idea to start in the evening on Friday when it was a tad cooler and then come back earlier in the morning on Saturday,” he said.

”It didn’t drag the event out; it allowed the visiting families to see Dubbo for the rest of the weekend.

“Some went to the Zoo, some the pool and other places around the town, so it was good for the carnival and good for the economy of Dubbo too. We spent some time with some of the out-of-town athletes and their families and they all said they’d be back next year.”