She's one of the few flickering lights on an otherwise bleak Australian sprinting landscape.
He's the nation's new hurdles sensation and a self-appointed hero to flame-haired kids everywhere.
Together Canberra-based Melissa Breen and Tristan Thomas are establishing themselves as Australian athletics' hottest couple, raising hope of success at the Berlin world championships and well beyond.
Breen, 18, showed in 2008 that Aussie female sprinting had a bright future, winning the 200m national title in a world-class time while still at school.
Thomas, who turns 23 next week, has shot into the top three of the 400m hurdles world rankings, putting the likes of world champion Kerron Clemont on notice that this Aussie won't play nice in Berlin.
They started dating in 2006, two years after Thomas moved to Canberra from Tasmania on an AIS scholarship. While Breen isn't supported by the AIS, instead training under local coach Matt Beckenham, it was at the institute track that they caught each other's eye.
In the three years since they've overcome fluctuations in each other's fortunes including Thomas's long lay-off with osteitis pubis to reach this point where both have been picked in the Australian squad for the world titles in August.
Breen said the excitement and nerves were already building for them ahead of their arrival on the sport's second-biggest stage.
''It gets you through the hardest sessions, because you've got something to look forward to at the end,'' Breen said.
You have to spend only a few moments in their company to realise the differences between Breen and Thomas extend well beyond their track disciplines.
It's not the age gap, although Thomas said he felt compelled to ask permission from Breen's mum before asking the then 15-year-old out three years ago.
In Breen's eyes you see the quiet and fierce determination of someone who has wanted to run in front of thousands since she was a 10-year-old sitting among the roaring crowd at the Sydney Olympics.
She's more guarded and admits she's more absorbed by her own athletics performances than her boyfriend is by his.
For more, pick up a copy of today's Canberra Times