Courtney Dean

Courtney, aged 16, (pictured right) has made another big splash in the world of water polo this year.

She helped Great Britain’s girls achieve their best ever finish in the European championships in Ukraine in July, beating Germany, France, Ukraine and Slovakia.

And a month later she swam the English Channel as part of a Warrington Dolphins relay team, training in the Albert Dock.

Courtney is hugely committed to the sport, juggling her schoolwork around it and making many sacrifices. She trains four times a week in Manchester as well as in Warrington and is used to travelling all over the country and beyond for water polo.

Courtney, who represented GB under 18s when she was only 14, took up the sport at the age of 10 and now plays for the City of Manchester Water Polo Club’s A team in the national league.

Rosanna Edwards

Rosanna continued to show ‘oarsome’ ability this year despite suffering from injury and being in a great deal of pain.

The 15-year-old dragon boat racing ace narrowly missed out on a medal at the European championships, having finished in fourth place.

And she was the second fastest girl who trialled in the UK, only being beaten by one second.

Sir Thomas Boteler High School pupil Rosanna is the youngest girl to have made the GB dragon boat racing team and is a member of the crew who holds the British world record over 200 metres, which was set in a bronze medal win at last year’s world championships.

Holly McMullen

Holly proved herself to be a real golden girl in rowing circles this year.

In an unprecedented achievement, the 15-year-old from Lymm won gold medals at junior rowing’s three major summer events – the national schools, the British and the inter-regional championships.

She claimed the WJ15 double sculls titles at the National Schools and the British championships, despite competing in an older age category and she took the WJ14 crown at the British Indoor Rowing Championships.

Holly trains 20 hours each week on the water and 52 weeks of the year in the gym.

Rebecca Fisher

Rebecca proved herself to be well and truly ‘top of the chops’ this year by winning 26 gold, 18 silver and 12 bronze karate medals.

And the 15-year-old even won her first world championship gold medal in Brazil despite struggling with a hip problem.

Rebecca is a second dan black belt, having achieved black belt status when she was 10.

She has a host of titles under her belt, including English championship, SKU British open, kata (patterned movement) national championship, SKU open championship, FEKO national championship and SKU kata championship crowns.

And Rebecca won a bronze medal in last year’s European championships in Romania.

Aylish MacKenzie

Aylish has certainly hit the heights in her special athletics event this year.

The 13-year-old high jumper has won a host of titles this year, including the Northern under-15s, the under-15s Cheshire, the under-15s Cheshire Schools and the Warrington Schools junior girls’ high jump crown.

The Birchwood Community High School pupil set a new record in winning the Cheshire title and also claimed the Mason Trophy inter-counties title in Birmingham.

Aylish is a registered Scottish athlete and is currently ranked first in Scotland.

She is rated fourth in Great Britain at under-15s level and this despite her being only a year eight student at school.