WATCH your backs, Libby Lenton and Leisel Jones. Rising Williamstown swimming sensation Ellese Zalewski is this month’s Don Deeble award nominee.

The 15-year-old had a great start to 2007, winning 11 medals in the space of 10 days at the Junior Pacific Championships in Hawaii and the Australian Youth Olympic Festival in Sydney.

She won one individual gold, one silver and three team gold medals in Hawaii, then won two individual golds and one silver in Sydney, as well as one gold and two silvers in the teams events.

Most notably, Zalewski defeated 14-year-old Chinese rival Yi Tang at the Olympic Festival in the 100m final in 56.02 seconds compared to Tang’s 56.22 seconds. National 14 years record holder Cate Campbell finished third in 56.33 seconds.

“It was good to have someone like Yi Tang racing that fast.

She is a great competitor, but it was certainly a great win for me,” she said.

Zalewski is considered by many pundits as a future international sprinting champion, but she doesn’t share the same enthusiasm and wants to be versatile in all strokes.

“Some people consider me to be a short distance swimmer, but I like to be good over those longer distances,” Zalewski said.

Last year, Zalewski was named female swimmer of the Australian Age Championships, winning an astonishing six gold and two silver medals.

She works under the tutelage of Ian Pope at the Melbourne Sports and Aquatic Centre (MSAC) and regularly trains with Olympic champion Michael Klim and Patrick Murphy.

“It’s been great training with those guys. They’ve been really good for me,” Zalewski said.

Zalewski trains nine times a week at MSAC, including morning and afternoon sessions.

She attends school in Toorak, although she still lives in Williamstown.

The Victorian Institute of Sport student also swam at last year’s Telstra Australian Swimming Championships in Brisbane, but failed to qualify for the World Swimming Championships in March.

Her best result was fifth place in the 100m butterfly.

Zalewski’s next major event is the National Age Championships in Perth in April, but the ambitious teenager’s main goal is to qualify for the 2008 Beijing Olympics.

“I’d love to be competing at the Beijing Olympics in 2008, either in freestyle or butterfly,” she said.STAR, the Sunshine and Western Region Sports Club and Yarraville Club Cricket Club are again joining forces to bring the Don Deeble Sports Star Award in 2006.

The award is incentive-based and nominations will be made monthly, with the club announcing an annual winner.

The Don Deeble Sports Star Award is open to young sportspeople across the western suburbs performing at state or national level. Weekly and yearly prizes include cash and product sponsorships.

To nominate someone for the award, send details to: Don Deeble Sports Star, c/o Star News Group, 17 Assembly Drive, Tullamarine, 3043, or email starsport@starnewsgroup.com.au.

Alternatively call our sports reporter on 9933 4800 during business hours.