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ATHLETICS

STEPPING from the constraints of winter training into the heat of world-class competition is adding to the challenge for two young Tauranga speedsters.

Sprinter Joseph Millar and hurdler Michael Cochrane left at the weekend for the world junior athletics championships in Canada, acclimatising and sharpening at local meets in Vancouver before a final week's preparation at the worlds venue, Moncton.

With the six-day IAAF worlds opening on July 19, the pair are confident that despite the Bay's recent wet, cold conditions, they're on track to hit their best pace.

Cochrane, an 18-year-old student at Bay of Plenty Polytechnic, will line up in the 110m and 400m hurdles events, after dipping under the 110m qualifying time on his final opportunity back in March.

Millar, who is 17 and attends Aquinas College, will run in the 200m and is also in the 4x400m relay team.

A late bid in Auckland on Sunday to run a qualifying time for the 100m was thwarted by lack of technology, with Millar's 10.6sec a non-counter after organisers used a stopwatch to time the race, a non-calibrated wind gauge and a piece of pipe and a hammer to make the sound to start the race (apparently not an IAAF-approved starting method).

With daylight in short supply for after-school training at this time of year, Millar has resorted to a portable lighting set-up on occasion to extend his training sessions at Tauranga Domain.

Taking out the 100m-200m M19 double at the 2010 nationals in March, he also holds the national M17 100m record with his 10.80sec time set on the Gold Coast last year.

"If I run my current personal best of 21.51sec that should take me into the 200m semifinals, but if I do the time I'm aiming for - to equal the New Zealand [M17] record of 21.2 - I'll have a good chance of making the final. I've been injury free for quite a while now and I'm on cue to get it."

Millar admits a start block bogey from last year's world youth championships in Italy still lingers. Unfamiliarity with the foot-pressure sensing technology, now used at major meetings overseas, saw him disqualified from the 100m.

"I'm still not used to the electronic sensor boxes, we don't have them in New Zealand. You need to keep your foot pressure steady right up till you leave the blocks.

"It's slightly better for me this time because the 200m start is a little bit more relaxed than the 100m."

Following his 200m campaign, Millar is likely to be in the men's 4x400m relay lineup, with six athletes bracketed and final selection dependent on their fitness and workload through the previous days.

For Cochrane the 2010 world juniors are the realisation of a long-held dream.

"Back in 2006 my coach in Tauranga, Val [Bromley], put the idea forward that I'd be in the perfect age bracket.

"It's been my goal since and it's great to finally be on my way."

Cochrane's schedule may pose a dilemma - albeit welcome - if he's on the pace.

Making the finals of his favoured 400m hurdles would see him back on the track just hours after his morning 110m heat.

"I've talked with my coach [Auckland's Brent Booker] and it's possible I'd pull out of the 110m to be on the safe side. Hopefully, if I make the 400m final I'll be feeling at my best on the day and up to doing both."

Reigning national age-group champion in both distances, Cochrane is buoyed by a recent training time within 0.5sec of his 400m PB, which stands at the 52.51sec he achieved when he took gold at this year's Australian junior nationals.

He'll get a further boost trackside at Moncton, with his parents, grandmother, sister and her fiance all making the trip to support him.

KIWI TEAM

New Zealand team for IAAF world junior athletics championships, Moncton, Canada, July 19-25:

Men: Glen Ballam (Sthld) 800m, Scott Burch (Mnwtu/Wgnui) 400m/4x400m relay, Michael Cochrane (Wai/BOP) 400m hurdles/110m hurdles, Jacko Gill (Ak) shot put, Alex Jordan (Tas) 100m/ 4x400m relay, Joseph Millar (Wai/BOP) 200m/4x400m relay, Aaron Pulford (Wai/BOP) 10,000m, Matthew Robinson (Sthld) 4x400m relay, Tama Toki (Ak) 4x400m relay, Tom Walsh (Cant) shot put, Frazer Wickes (Ak) 400m/4x400m relay.

Women: Kristie Baillie (Wai/BOP) 400m, Kerry Charlesworth (Ak) pole vault, Rebekah Greene (Otago) 3000m/1500m, Siositina Hakeai (Ak) discus, Elizabeth Lamb (Ak) high jump, Leesa Lealaisalanoa (Wgtn) discus, Caroline Mellsop (Mnwtu/Wgnui) 3000m steeplechase, Laura Nagel (Hawke's Bay/Gis) 3000m, Hannah Newbould (Cant) 1500m, Keeley O'Hagan (Wgtn) high jump, Anna Roche (Wgtn) 800m, Angela Smit (Cant) 800m.