She returned to Dunedin last week, having been to the United States on a trip which included the chance to compete in the same event as world record-holding freestyle swimmer Katie Ledecky.
The Columba College pupil was part of a 16-strong New Zealand team, which also included fellow Neptune swimmer Andrew Trembath.
It involved them completing a 10-day altitude training camp in Flagstaff, Arizona, as well as competing at high-level meetings either side of it in Mesa, Arizona, and Los Angeles.
Competing in an open grade, Deans won her first international medal, a bronze in the 800m freestyle at the meet of champions in Los Angeles.
She swam 8min 58.70sec to record a personal-best and also swam personal-bests in finishing fifth in the 1500m and sixth in the 400m.
''It was incredible. It was an amazing opportunity,'' she said of the trip.
''We learned a lot while we were over there, getting to race and meet some pretty quick swimmers.''
She raced in the heat before Ledecky in the 800m at Mesa and then got the chance to watch the world's best in person. There was no final.
''It was amazing, being able to watch your own idol not just from the TV.''
The camp proved valuable too, as Deans got to experience working with national team coach Jerry Olszewski.
''I've never trained with him before, so his trainings were very gruelling. They weren't the easiest.
''But they were definitely worthwhile. They were very good sessions.
''I found when I came back down I just felt a lot fitter.
''It's definitely taught me a lot about racing and training, being able to train with those high performance people who train in Auckland together was a good experience.''
Now back in New Zealand, she is settling back into school, with plenty to catch up on having also been at national meetings before leaving for the US.
It is something she is picking away at as she got back into training.
She swims nine times a week, six of those being two-hour early-morning sessions, alongside two gym workouts and three dry land sessions.
It keeps her busy although she does her best to maintain balance in her life.
''I've got Sundays off and Saturdays we just swim in the morning and dry land after that, so I'm done by 8am.
''So on Saturdays and Sundays I try and do something other than swimming and go and see some friends and that when I can.
''At times when all my friends are going out to do something, it's tempting to go and do it.
''But I know in the long run, all my friends are really supportive of the swimming as well, so they don't ever try to encourage me to not go to training.
''At times [it is hard], but I know that it's worth it in the end.
''I've never really regretted going to training rather than doing something else.''
She has no intention on slowing down either, looking to shift to study after completing school this year.
That would involve either moving to Auckland to train at the high performance centre, or going to a university in the US.
