But it will not be easy, because 1500 athletes from 227 schools will compete at the annual New Zealand secondary schools athletics championships at Newtown Park Stadium, in Wellington.
It is the biggest competitive track and field event held annually in the country and was first held at Christchurch in 1973, to give officials a practice run before the Commonwealth Games.
Whyte (18) was disqualified when he broke in Hastings last year, and he finished runner-up at the national club championships in Dunedin in March.
He has the top qualifying time in the 400m with 48.10sec and a backup time of 48.72sec.
His strongest challenge will come from Thomas Symes (Wanganui Collegiate) who has a best time of 48.62sec and a backup time of 48.80sec.
Whyte, who is trained by Jim Baird, has a more difficult task in the 100m against Kodi Harman (Mt Maunganui College), who has a best time of 10.82sec.
Whyte ran a personal best 11.01sec at the Caledonian Ground last Saturday.
Another Otago gold medal contender is Rebekah Greene (St Hilda's) who will be defending her senior girls 1500m title and trying to win the 3000m as well.
Greene has the potential to break two long-standing meet records held by former New Zealand representative Sonia Barry. Greene's best times this season are 4min 19.78sec for the 1500m and 9min 21.82sec for the 3000m. Barry won the 3000m in 9min 33.39sec in 1985 and the 1500m in 4min 25.15sec a year later.
Megan McPhail (Waitaki Girls') is ranked top in the senior girls 200m with 25.46sec and will be challenged by Brooke Cull (Takapuna Grammar), who has a best time of 25.67sec. McPhail won a bronze medal in the 100m last year and could turn it into silver this year. The favourite in the 100m is Louise Hodge (Rangitoto).
Dean Rusbatch (Otago Boys') won a silver medal in the senior boys hammer throw last year and could turn it into a gold medal in Wellington after throwing the 5kg implement to a personal best 54.81m at the Caledonian Ground last Saturday. He could add a discus title after throwing a personal best 46.17m.
Nikita White (Otago Girls') won six AWD gold medals last year and has entered five events this weekend - 100m, 200m, 400m, shot put and javelin.
Other otago athletes with a chance of reaching the podium are Blair Grant (Waitaki Boys'), Josh Browne (John McGlashan), Brent Cheshire (Otago Boys'), Hamish Cooper (Otago Boys'), Chris McNoe (Otago Boys'), Gavin Stark (Blue Mountain College), Laura Carruthers (Columba College), Ben Jowsey (Kaikorai Valley), Sam Bremner (Kavanagh) and Tim Morrison (Kavanagh).
