THE winner of the Chronicle-Multiflex Junior Sports Award is Abbie Henderson, a swimmer who is looking seven years ahead and aiming for the very top.

She has already had a brief taste of top competition when she competed at the Commonwealth Games trials at Sheffield.

That she was the youngest swimmer ever to qualify for the England team selection gala is the reason Multiflex judges Mark Webb and Tom Davies chose her for the award.

'Her achievement was irresistible,' said Davies.

Abbie is 13 and has only recently joined Winsford Swimming Club to learn under British squad coach Dave Pettengell.

She said:'He has already made me a better swimmer.'

Abbie aims to get Better and better, right up to the London Olympics in 2012.

She added: 'It was good swimming at the Trials - and nerve racking! It was the biggest crowd I have raced in front of. I was not up against any internationals and that was a relief, but the other swimmers were still quite a way ahead of me. But it was a really valuable experience.'

Abbie prefers long distance front crawl and her favourite event is the 400m, for which her best time is 4mins 32secs, which puts her fourth in the UK rankings.

She took up swimming when she was eight and won her first Cheshire championship at the age of 10 and has kept the overall title for each age group she has contested since then.

This season she won the 400m and 800m crawl county titles at all age groups, including adult.

'When I won the Cheshires the first time was when I realised I was good at swimming and then I started getting national times and started competing at the nationals.

'Next year I am hoping for a medal at the nationals and my ambition is to swim at the 2012 Olympics,' she added.

Abbie has been in the British world class programme, which takes her to special training camps at home and in Europe, for two years and of course she has added some points scoring to Winsford's Speedo League fixtures.

She trains 18 hours a week in the pool at Winsford and Sir John Deane's College and twice weekly in the gym. Stamina is very much her strong point - she is also a keen cross-country runner.

Multiflex will present Abbie with her award this week.

Now our search for sports stars shifts from juniors to adults. The list is already open for the Chronicle-Multiflex Senior Award and the first name on it is that of Chris Dale, the Northwich rugby player.

Dale has been nominated for his personal achievement and as a representative of the Northwich team, who had made a torrid start to the season losing all but one of their games - until they met Winnington Park in a cup tie.

Northwich were the underdogs, but triumphed and Dale scored all their 10 points, a try, conversion and penalty.

Paul Turner's success in winning the East Midland's Racing Association title in only his second reason puts him in contention. Turner, 32, is based at Castle and also broke the 400cc Mallory Park lap record.

Crown green bowler 20-year-old Nicola Dolby flies the female flag. She had hardly finished celebrating winning the Mid Cheshire League title with Frodsham Red Lion when she went on to greater personal triumph. She became the first ever Mid Cheshire League bowler to win the British Ladies Champion of Champions Trophy.

The junior (16 and under) and senior awards are alternating. While competition for the senior trophy hots up we are keeping track of junior achievements at the same time, so no-one gets overlooked.

The Chronicle and Multiflex are keen to hear of examples of outstanding performances and dedication.

To nominate someone contact our Sportsdesk on 01606 42272.