Chignell (16, Hill City-University) will compete in the 6km road race and the 400m relay with Joe Allison, Wilson Mitchell and Josh Stoddard.
In a tactical decision, the John McGlashan College pupil and his coach, Dave Stinson, decided to enter the 6km road race instead of his favoured 3000m and 5000m track events.
''We decided I would have the best chance of taking away a medal in the road race. On the track there is a lot of competition and a lot of real quick guys, especially from the North Island,'' he said.
Chignell's personal best in the 6km road race is 19min 45sec, but that was at the start of the year and he is ''definitely getting closer to going under 19 minutes''.
''My form is feeling really good. I've had some really good training recently. I'm feeling good to get some quick times.''
Chignell, who took up athletics almost 11 years ago, competed at the national championships in Dunedin in 2012 and Hamilton last year.
He won bronze in the junior 4km road race last year, an improvement from his seventh place the previous year.
With a heavy training schedule, Chignell quit football a couple of years ago to focus on athletics. He has three track sessions a week, two or three ''long runs'' a week and the weekly meet at the Caledonian Ground on Saturdays.
Despite not entering the 3000m or 5000m, Chignell said they were the events he wanted to specialise in in the future.
His form in the 15-17 years 3000m has been strong all season, and he boasts a 8min 59sec personal best.
Chignell also set a 1500m personal best (4min 11.79sec) earlier this month.
With one more year at school ahead of him next year, Chignell is focusing on athletics and ''getting good marks''.
He hopes to earn an athletics scholarship to an American college in 2016.
- Robert van Royen
