When it comes to athletics it's a real family affair for siblings Taylor and Anaya Smith, with the pair taking part at the 38th Colgate Games next month.

The young athletes from the Bay of Plenty will lace up their sport shoes and put their training to the test at the event.

Anaya and Taylor Smith. Photo: Greg Taipari.

The 2016 Colgate Games, New Zealand's National Junior Athletics Championship for children aged seven to 14, has received more than 2000 entrants nationwide with 62 from the Bay of Plenty.

More than 2000 athletes from more than 100 Kiwi athletics clubs participate in the two events in Palmerston North and Nelson in early January.

Taylor 13, and Anaya, 11, both run for the Ramblers Club and will compete in the 400m, 800m and high jump.

It's the first time the two siblings have entered the event and Taylor is excited about competing.

He hopes to place in the top three in his events, especially his favourite challenge the 800m, where he'll look to stick to his winning formula.

'Well when I take off from a start, I'll kind of use my first lap in the 800m to go 80 per cent. Then in the last lap I'll kind of just build up speed and just dig it in for the rest.”

His plan has worked in the past because the youngster is the current record-holder for 800m at his school Tauranga Intermediate.

The North Island Colgate Games is at Manawatu Community Athletics Track, Palmerston North, on January 8-10. The South Island Games is at Saxton Oval, Nelson, on January 15-17.