New Zealand junior women's road race champion and former Otumoetai College student Deborah Paine is another competitive starter.
The Hahner twins' coach Thomas Dold is a high calibre athlete in his own right and will race tonight in the men's 3000m event. He has a best time of 8:54 but may well be watching the action ahead of him in a top class field.
Isaiah Priddey from Hamilton Boys' High School, who recently broke the New Zealand junior boys' secondary schools 1500m record, is likely to be quick. His brother Jacob, who is on scholarship in the US, is going to pace him as they try to break 8:40. Auckland Marathon winner and three-time national 10,000m champion Aaron Pulford (Whangamata) is after an even quicker time of cracking eight minutes for the 3000m distance.
The women's 100m sprint should be tight with Tauranga's Mariah Ririnui likely to take on Georgia Hales from Hastings, who are two of the best female sprinters in New Zealand. Talented former Tauranga Girls' College student Brooke Somerfield is another starter.