The ones to watch in Beijing

Victoria Pendleton - Track Cycling

After enduring a disastrous time at the 2004 Olympics, Victoria considered quitting the sport.

But, after winning two gold medals at this year's Track World Championships, she has emerged as a hot tip to win gold in Beijing.

Christine Ohuruogu - 400 metres

Ohuruogu is a controversial figure, having been banned from competing in the Olympics two years ago for missing three drug tests, only to have the suspension overturned on appeal.

She is the current Commonwealth and world champion and is among the favourites to win the Olympic 400-metre title.

Tom Daley - Diving

At 14, Tom is the youngest British competitor by some margin travelling to China and is the second youngest British male Olympian in history.

Qualifying for the Olympics at such a young age is an achievement in itself but, after winning the gold medal in the 10m platform category at this year's European Championships, Tom could yet force his way onto the Olympic podium.

Frankie Gavin - Boxing

Birmingham-born Frankie is the latest Briton to go in search of Olympic boxing glory, following in the footsteps of Lennox Lewis and Amir Khan, among others.

Frankie is the reigning world champion in the lightweight division.

Goldie Sayers - Javelin

The graduate of Loughborough University is the current UK record holder, and some impressive displays in 2008 have prompted talk of a possible medal in Beijing.

In March, she won the biggest title of her career so far - the European Cup of Winter Throwing in Croatia.

Kelly Sotherton - Heptathlon

Kelly burst onto the international scene when she upset the form book to claim the bronze medal at the 2004 Olympics in Athens.

And with reigning Olympic champion Carolina Kluft not competing in the heptathlon in Beijing, it could well be Kelly's year.

Gail Emms and Nathan Robertson - Badminton

The British pair agonisingly missed out on the gold medal in Athens four years ago but went some way to making up for that by winning World Championship gold in 2006.

Beijing will represent the final opportunity for the pair to win Olympic gold as a mixed doubles partnership with Emms having confirmed she will retire from the sport after the event.

William Fox-Pitt - Eventing

Britain's eventing team boasts a solid record in Olympic competition and Fox-Pitt is fancied to be among the medals in Beijing.

Paula Radcliffe - Marathon

Despite holding 10 world records and being widely recognised as one of the greatest long distance runners in the history of the sport, an Olympic gold medal has always eluded Radcliffe.

She was a big favourite to win gold in Athens in 2004 but pulled out midway through the race, due to the effects of energy-sapping anti-inflammatory drugs and will be desperate to put the record straight in Beijing.