The North Otago sprinter had an impressive showing at the New Zealand Track and Field Championships in Dunedin last week.
He was the lead-off runner for the Otago men’s 4x100m relay team that won gold and also finished eighth in the men’s 100m final.
The 26-year-old said winning the relay final was "surreal".
"The emotion got over me. I didn’t know what to do or think."
It was his second time winning the relay after being part of a victorious team in 2022, although this time was with different team-mates.
"Being on home soil makes it even better. My brother and the whole family was down there."
The former Waitaki Boys’ High School student has been competing since he was 12.
While he has dabbled in long jump, sprinting is where his passion lies.
In the lead-up to the national event, Orr was training five times a week, both in Dunedin and Oamaru, and also competing on Saturdays in Dunedin.
He hopes to go as far as he can with athletics.
"My goal is to progress and get faster and hopefully get an individual medal at some point.
"I want to be competing overseas at some stage too so getting those times down will help me get to that point."
His time of 10.88sec in the 100m final was good enough for eighth place in a strong field that included three-time national champion Tiaan Whelpton.
"I thrive off big competitions and versing the faster athletes. It’s a gauge of where I’m at," he said.
"I know I can really compete with those boys now."
Being from a small region and club, he takes pride in being someone the younger athletes can look up to.
"You can go quite far in athletics being from a small town," he said.
Orr was not the only North Otago athlete competing at the national championships.
James Miers took home a bronze medal in in the men’s under-18 javelin.
Sprinter Jack O’Neill competed in the men’s under-18, 100m, 200m and 4x100m relay while Nina Conlan competed in the women’s under-16 80m hurdles.
Orr was full of praise for O’Neill who set a personal best in the 200m.
"He’s the next one up that’s coming through the club that I think is going to have a bright future in the sport."
