The 23-year-old will contest the 1500m on Saturday and the 800m on Sunday – events in which she has made significant improvements this season.
Her 1500m best dropped from 4min 17sec to 4min 14sec en route to winning at the Sir Graeme Douglas Invitational last month before, less than a week later, her 800m best dropped from 2min 7sec to 2min 3sec at the Canterbury championships.
“It’s always the goal, every season to get a PB, so I’m glad that I’ve done it early,” Twyford said.
“Now I can just focus on racing and results, trying to win titles.”
And titles have followed. Twyford won gold in the national mile last month – her first New Zealand title – and has also claimed victories at the Potts Classic and the International Track Meet.
At last year’s nationals she finished third in the 1500m to earn her first national podium and said she was keen to add to her tally.
“It’s definitely a goal, I would be pretty stoked to be able to add even one of them, I definitely want to give it a good crack.
“The 800m is my favourite event, so I’d love to get that one, but I’ll be happy to be racing and be up in medal contention,” she said.
Twyford’s race strategy differs between the two distances. In the 1500m she prefers to sit in the pack and rely on a late kick, while in the 800m she is comfortable taking the lead.
“For the 15, I like to keep people in front of me, plan who I want to sit behind, and then leave it to a kick at the end,” she said.
“In the 8, I’d prefer it just be fast, and knowing what fitness I’m in, I’d be confident enough taking it out.”
More than 60 senior Canterbury athletes will compete at the national championships, with several in medal contention.
Olympic champion Hamish Kerr will contest the high jump in his first meet of the season, while fellow Olympic medallist Tom Walsh headlines the shot put.
Sprinter Tiaan Whelpton will continue his pursuit of becoming the first New Zealander to break 10 seconds for the 100m after running a wind-assisted 10.01sec in Christchurch recently.
National 3000m champion Tillie Hollyer will line up against Twyford in the 1500m, while Ethan Smolej will attempt to defend his 800m title.
The national championships start today at Trusts Arena in Auckland and finish on Sunday.
Twyford said she is likely to round out her season at the Australian Athletics Championships in Sydney from April 9-12, with a couple of local meets beforehand.
