STAR shot-putter, Island Games multi-medallist, Scottish national record holder, World Junior competitor and Commonwealth and Olympic prospect Jamie Stevenson is now a NatWest Rising Star.

The accolade, awarded at this years Sportingbet Sports Personality of the Year Awards, caps a phenomenal year for the 19-year-old, who was unbeaten in 2008 as the UK's top-ranked U20 shot-putter.

Now Stevenson moves up to U23 level and hopes to repeat the feat under the continuing guidance of coach and former Olympian Geoff Capes.

The former Haute Vallée and Highlands College student, who was first nominated for the award two years ago, said: 'It's really great to be recognised for my achievements - I've had a really, really successful year.

'I've been No1 in the UK all year round, which was one of my targets, and I'm unbeaten at U20 level, so of course I'm really pleased with that. Another of my targets was to make 19m, and I was hoping to do that with a PB at the World Junior Championships in Poland, but I didn't manage it.

'That's my only real disappointment of the year - I went downhill a few weeks before that event and my performance didn't really pick up in time. However the experience of being at the World Junior Championships was amazing - I'm normally used to competing in the UK or at Island Games, so they were the biggest championships I've ever been to.

'The biggest boys were throwing over 21m so it really opens your eyes to the sort of standards you are up against at that level.'

Stevenson has every intention of reaching those standards, and plans, once he finishes his HND course in Sport and Leisure Management at Loughborough University, to become a full-time athlete.

His progression thus far has come quickly, if not as a bit of a shock.

'I didn't really take it too seriously until I won the Hampshire Championships, in May 2003, and then I started going on to bigger events, like the South of England U15, when I was still only 13. I did quite well at that event, and got a few PBs, so I decided I wanted to carry on and train right through. I wasn't expecting to come on leaps and bounds or improve as much as I have,' he said.

Stevenson, who is of Scottish and Welsh descent, now claims numerous Scottish national records, English Schools' and national age group titles, Island Games and Jeux des Iles medals, as well as a Great Britain cap, having competed at the World Junior Championships in August.

It's an admirable track record that Stevenson hopes to build further this coming season.

'I've had a bit of a setback at the moment, as I had to have knee surgery three weeks ago. I had a lot of trouble with it over the summer and it needed doing, so I'm not doing the indoor season. It should be back to normal, though, within another three weeks. I'm doing lots of rehab at the moment and my major target is to compete at the European U23 Championships in Lithuania in July, so once I'm back competing I'll be looking to qualify for that.'

It is not clear, yet, whether or not Stevenson will be on hand to help boost Jersey's Island Games campaign this year.

He says he would like to travel to Aland with the team in June, although he admits his coach may prefer him to compete at the British U23 Championships, which are held at the same time.

There is a definite possibility, however, that Stevenson will be flying a Jersey flag at the Commonwealth Games in Delhi next year.

'I need to make a decision by next March whether I want to represent Scotland or Jersey, although at the moment I think I would really like to represent Jersey. If I do qualify for the Commonwealth Games, my next target will be Olympic trials - I went to the last trials, which was a great experience, and I think to make the GB squad for London 2012 is a realistic possibility. My target this year, with the higher weight, is to throw 18m but by then I want to be doing 21m. That's what the world's top athletes are doing at the moment, so if I can achieve that, I could have a good chance,' he says.

Stevenson shared the NatWest Rising Star award with junior Guernsey cyclist Dan Arblaster.

- Article by Kathryn Lundy, Sports Journalist Jersey Evening Post