Harry Winks, Georgia Hall and more... the sports stars to watch out for in 2018

Road to Russia | Harry Winks is set to earn a place in Gareth Southgate's World Cup squad
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Mark Staniforth31 December 2017

The next 12 months could see the emergence of a number of up-and-coming British stars onto the global sporting scene.

Here, we pick out 10 rising stars to look out for in 2018.

Finn Russell

The Scotland fly-half is shaping up to have a significant year for both club and country. With optimism high after a 53-24 win over Australia in November, Russell will form an integral part of Scotland's Six Nation's challenge - as well as stepping into the colossal shoes of Dan Carter with his new club, Racing 92.

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Chantelle Cameron

After a solid amateur career, Cameron has emerged as the unlikely poster-girl for the new wave of British professional women boxers, and will look to build on her early success in 2018. Five straight wins - culminating in a world title triumph in December - could set up a huge unification clash with Ireland's Katie Taylor.

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Ellie Downie

Downie emerged as the potential next big thing in British gymnastics when she clinched all-around European gold in Cluj in 2017. After a short period out due to injury, the 18-year-old is set to return at the Commonwealth Games in Gold Coast in February - where it would be no surprise to see her sweep the board.

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Harry Winks

Destined to spend much of the build-up to next summer's World Cup in the shadows of Tottenham team-mates Harry Kane and Dele Alli, Winks could yet emerge as the most crucial figure in Gareth Southgate's World Cup plans after a season in which he has shown no signs of buckling under the weight of mounting expectation.

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Elise Christie

After a triple world title win in 2017, short-track star Christie is just getting started. Christie has shrugged off her painful memories from Sochi 2014, when a catalogue of misfortunes saw her miss out on a medal. She will head to the Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang hell-bent on making history as a multiple gold medallist.

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Katie Archibald

The world omnium champion and Olympic team pursuit gold medallist has excelled in the absence of Laura Kenny since the Rio Olympics. Despite the absence of her favoured individual discipline from the programme, Archibald can be expected to return from the Commonwealth Games with a number of medals in her kit-bag.

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Caroline Garcia

It is getting for a decade since Andy Murray tipped a then 17-year-old Garcia as the next big thing of women's tennis. Garcia is showing signs of belatedly living up to that billing, having reached her first grand slam quarter-final and cracked the world top 10 in 2017. The French star should be threatening major crowns in the coming year.

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Yan Bingtao

The 17-year-old prodigy looks best-placed to fulfil China's desire for a world snooker champion. Despite his tender years Bingtao has excelled at the top level, reaching his first major final at the Northern Ireland Open in 2017. If he maintains his current steep trajectory, a world title challenge in 2018 is far from out of the question.

Georgia Hall

The Bournemouth 21-year-old excelled in 2017, starring in the Solheim Cup, tying for third place in the Women's British Open, and clinching the Ladies European Tour order of merit title. Having earned the right to compete on the US-based LPGA Tour in 2018, Hall looks set to continue to excel amongst the biggest names in her sport.

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George Garton

The Sussex left-arm bowler was a name on nobody's lips when England's Ashes squad was announced, but the belated need for reinforcements saw Garton called up Down Under despite just nine first-class appearances to his name. Such is a mark of the belief in the 20-year-old, who should shine in his first full first-class season.

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