Otago hurdlers Christina Ashton and Felix McDonald will both race for medals at the Australian junior championships in Sydney today.
Ashton (17) won her under-20 100m hurdle heat in 14.54sec at Olympic Park yesterday to qualify second fastest for the final.
Her winning time matched her personal best, set at last weekend's national championships in Wellington, which she won.
She pipped Carla Takchi, of New South Wales, by 0.05sec in a thrilling heat, but will need to step it up a notch to beat Katrina Hunt, of New South Wales, today.
Hunt won her heat in 14.31sec to qualify fastest for the final.
Fresh from winning gold in the 110m hurdles at the national track and field champs last weekend, McDonald (16) finished second in his under-18 110m heat in 14.66sec yesterday.
That was fast enough for the King's High School pupil to qualify third fastest for this afternoon's final behind Brandon Herrigan (14.07sec), of Queensland, and Matthew Harcourt (14.55sec), of Victoria.
McDonald will also compete in the 400m hurdles preliminary tonight, while Ashton is entered in the 100m preliminaries tomorrow morning.
The championships finish on Sunday.
