Athletics Otago has re-established its squad programme after a five-year hiatus.
The senior squad is made up of the top-end talent in the region, while promising youngsters can also fill a talent ID squad.
This year’s 58-strong squad was announced at the Caledonian Ground on Saturday.
It covers the best athletes across all the track and field disciplines, as well as those in cross country and road running.
Entry to the senior squad is gained by being within 7% of the Otago record, achieving a top four senior national championship result, or a medal in the junior grade.
Squad athletes would receive support via education and potential financial help, while there were hopes to run a training camp.
Raylene Bates, a squad director, said it was hoped not only would it boost their performance, but also provide Otago athletes something to aspire to.
"One [reason for bringing it back] was around what is there for some of our athletes, what is there for them to aspire to?" Bates said.
"For our younger athletes it’s what is the sense of purpose?
"What gives you a little bit of pride?
"What makes you get out there and want to obtain a better performance?
"For our senior athletes it was recognising their performances."
The squad would be run by five directors — Bates, Joan Merrilees, Dave McNeill, Mike Weddell and Kieran Fowler.
Bates said they hoped to get it started before passing it on to some younger people with fresh ideas.
She felt there was plenty of quality within the squad and throughout the local athletics scene.
"If you asked me before I started before I did the research for who has qualified for the squad, I would have said we’ve lost some traction.
"But now I see how many athletes have obtained performances to become part of our squad and the performances achieved in the rankings, we’re sitting really well.
"We had some great performances at nationals last year, a lot of our athletes are performing on the national stage constantly."
She added it was great to see many of the top seniors having come through the age-grades to be performing on the national level.
Equally it was good for the younger athletes to see not all of those were stars as teenagers, and had stuck at it to achieve their success.
Athletics Otago squad 2021
Emelia Adamson, Nicolas Alveraz Ray-Vira, Ben Baines, Mayce Bates, Todd Bates, Zharna Beattie, Shyah Beattie, Alex Brown, Will Campbell, Oli Chignell, Josh Chisholm, Ohara Couch, Billie Crowe, Caitlin Dore, Millie East, Rosie Elliott, Jordan Evans-Tobata, Abby Fisher, Estelle Gellatly, Kahu Geary, John Gerber, Jorja Gibbons, Jess Gillan, Cole Gibbons, Rebekah Greene, Anna Grimaldi, George Hamilton, Nirvana Hepi-Breen, Gabi Horo, Josh Hou, Maya Irving, Shanti Kara, Sarah Langsbury, Manaia Lesa, Amaya Leslie, Catherine Lund, Hayley Marx, Sophie McCormack, Felix McDonald, Millar McElrea, Emma McKay, Tara McNally, Jamin Millar, Cameron Moffitt, Zaine Murdoch, Hannah Prosser, Holly Robinson, Anton Schroeder, Dyani Shepherd-Oates, Caden Shields Jedidiah Thompson-Fawcett, Niamh Townsend, Shay Veitch, Ethan Walker, Renee Willis, Liam Wilson, Jade Zaia.
