Connor Bennett has always had a passion for running, but it wasn't until recently that he decided to hone those raw skills.
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It appears that decision has paid off, having recently returned home to Orange after taking on the best young runners in the country at the Australian Junior Athletics Championships.
"I started training maybe three or four years ago, but I always enjoyed running," he said.
"I add in a bit of the 100metre, but nothing more than 400 because I'm a sprinter, I can't do long distance."
![Jos Blair and Connor Bennett recently competed at the Australian Junior Athletics Championships. Picture by Carla Freedman. Jos Blair and Connor Bennett recently competed at the Australian Junior Athletics Championships. Picture by Carla Freedman.](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/YN4FA67iw2pXwXjwm2vmnJ/1841a420-bcba-495d-8bd4-f123cdf66114.JPG/r0_680_7841_5106_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
Those talents saw him qualify not only for April's event in the 400m, but the 200m as well.
"It was very exciting but I was very nervous," he said on his maiden appearance at nationals.
"The events themselves weren't too hard, because the races were a day apart. I would run one race and then the next the following day."
Although he did not qualify for either of the under 16s finals events - finishing sixth and fourth in the heats - the experience he took away from the event will last him a lifetime.
"There's lots of competition there and NSW is a pretty fast state," he added.
"I would like to pursue athletics going forward."
For Jos Blair, this was her second time competing at nationals. In an odd turn of fate, she actually felt more nervous this time around than her debut showing.
![Connor Bennett and Jos Blair recently competed at the Australian Junior Athletics Championships. Picture by Carla Freedman. Connor Bennett and Jos Blair recently competed at the Australian Junior Athletics Championships. Picture by Carla Freedman.](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/YN4FA67iw2pXwXjwm2vmnJ/721cf5c8-3d2a-4321-951d-7c3e252e87f8.JPG/r0_165_8256_5504_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
"I think I was actually less nervous last time because it was in Sydney, which is where I usually have my carnivals anyway. This year in Brisbane, it felt a lot more like nationals," she said.
Blair qualified in both the 90m hurdles and 200m hurdles, finishing seventh in the final in the latter.
"I did PBs in both of my events so I was pretty happy with that," she added.
"It's definitely a lot different to state. It's a little bit nerve-wracking, but it's not too bad."
The 15-year-old has been training since she was just eight and along with touch football and trampolining, has cemented herself as one of the premier juniors around the region.
But if you ask her what the favourite part of competing at such a high level is, she'll give you a very down to earth response.
"I just like being active and there's a lot of good people you meet along the way."
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