Dubbo will host the 2023 Little Athletics NSW Region 3 Championships this weekend

The two-day event will begin on Saturday and is the second massive competition Dubbo has hosted in 2023 after the NSW Country Championships took place in January.

Dubbo Athletics Club president Steve Gamble believes the local hopefuls are eager to get back out on their home track once again.

"It's very, very exciting especially because we have two major events back to back in the space of two weeks," he said.

"It's fantastic for the club and the city, we have upwards of 50 athletes competing this weekend. It's really exciting, we've got some good prospects this time around.

"We've got Ella (Penman) and Max (McAneney, who are both coming off very successful campaigns at the NSW Country Championships. We've got some young and emerging athletes who should shake things up as well."

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The host club will have 51 athletes in action this weekend with three relay teams also competing.

Acting as a qualifying event, the top two finishing competitors will advance through to the State Championships which are to be held in March.

While Dubbo will be well represented, Gamble admitted competitors will be coming from different parts of the state with the carnival to host everyone west of the Blue Mountains.

"From the area, it upwards of 1000 who are coming from as far as Penrith then right out to Coonabarabran and Cobar," he said.

"We've got Parkes, Narromine and Forbes so basically everything between that. It's very, very good."

The Region 3 Championships is expected to bring more than 1000 visitors to Dubbo and deliver an economic impact of approximately $425,000.

Barden Park will continue hosting large-scale events in the future after it was announced more than $1 million would be spent renewing the track.

Gamble admitted the funding would help keep the track up to scale in the eyes of the World Athletics for at least another few years.

"Two weeks ago the announcement was made that we were successful in getting a grant to resurface the track over the next 18 months," he said.

"The track comes out of its international certification on December 31 this year, so this will help keep it in line with the standards of the IAAF.

"We are wanting to get it done as quickly as we can and continue to bring these high-quality events out to the city."

Saturday's athletics action will begin at 8am.

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