Kiwi sprinter Joseph Millar is welcoming rival Eddie Osei-Nketia with open arms, the pair having trained together for the first time.
Having clocked a personal best 100m time of 10.1 seconds, Millar has struggled to find a training partner capable of keeping up with him, until the emergence of teen sensation, Osei-Nketia.
With sprained ankles, broken arms and a skin irritation wiping out the first half of Millar's 2019, the 26-year old is back to full strength.
He's now training against 18-year old Osei-Nketia, having capped a remarkable rise himself, with a number of strong performances catching the eye on both sides of the Tasman.
"Getting down to race a guy who's just as fast as me over 100m is something that hasn't been possible in New Zealand before," Millar told 1 NEWS.
Osei-Nketia was just as complimentary towards Millar.
"A guy like him man I'll be really excited to train with him," he said.
It's hoped competition between the two will light a fire that will see them reach new heights.
"Both of them need competition and they'll bring the best out of each other," Osei-Nketia's coach Gary Henley-Smith told 1 NEWS.
"Next track season is going to be something quite special I think in New Zealand."
Millar is also aware he's going to have to lift to keep the youngster nipping at his heels.
"Knowing that he's as fast as he is at a young age, it's just super exciting for me.
"If I can make him run fast, then I'm going to have to run faster to beat him.
"I think for both of us looking at breaking 10 seconds is something that's on the horizon."
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