He won his world championship in the men's lightweight fours, and an Olympic silver medal in that boat class in Athens 2004.

For a twelve-year period from 2001 – excepting 2009 and 2010 – Cureton held his seat in all the Australian lightweight coxless fours selected to race at the premier world regattas.

[1] From 1999 to 2004; 2006 to 2008 and 2011 to 2012 Cureton was selected to represent Western Australia in the men's lightweight four contesting the Penrith Cup at the Interstate Regatta within the Australian Rowing Championships.

Burgess at stroke and Cureton in the three seat brought the Australian four back into contention in the second and third 500 metres.

He was teamed in that crew with fellow West Australian Todd Skipworth with whom he would have a long representative partnership and success.

[1] Cureton with Edwards, Skipworth and the addition of Rod Chisholm from New South Wales, stayed together in the Australian lightweight coxless four throughout 2007 and 2008.

[1] In Beijing the experienced lightweight foursome didn't figure in the medals in the tough Olympic conditions, they made the B final and finished in ninth place overall.

Cureton thus won his first senior world championship title, twelve years after first racing in Australian representative colours.