WILTSHIRE amateur golf champion Sam Matton will spend the rest of his winter in America as he prepares to make his England debut in 2008.

The 19-year-old former Kingsdown schoolboy jets out to Florida later this month to take part in the Moonlight Golf Tour, a year-round competition for professional and aspiring golfers in the Sunshine State.

Matton, who has just earned a call-up to the England Under 21 squad, is keen to build on a golden 2007, which saw him collect five titles including the Colts' Championship, the South Western Counties Championship and the Welsh Open Youths' Championship.

The plus-one handicapper, who plays at both Bowood and Broome Manor, hopes the experience of playing alongside some practising PGA Tour pros will stand him in good stead for the months ahead.

He said: "I've been out to America before and it is a very high standard.

"You get some PGA Tour players and Asia Tour players on the Moonlight Tour, all brushing up on their skills for the new season.

"The weather is excellent out there so it's much easier to practise, especially your short game. You just can't work on that properly in England in the winter."

Almost as soon as Matton touches back down in England in late February he will be back in the sky, this time heading to Spain with the national squad.

As well as performing well for his country this season, Matton plans to get his handicap back down to plus three.

"I've been down to plus three before but then I let it slip a bit," he said.

"I've picked up a lot of useful tips from the England coaches already so hopefully I can benefit from that."

Fellow golfer MILES Mackman will spend the next few weeks working on his short game and his sun tan as he bids to make 2008 the most successful year of his golfing life.

The talented 21-year-old from Broome Manor joins the England A squad for pre-season training in Spain, where he hopes to discover a formula for another trophy-laden 12 months.

Mackman won the prestigious Lagonda Trophy at Gog Magog and the West of England Open Amateur Championship in 2007, but insists there is still plenty of room for improvement.

He said: "I had a couple of really big wins but I didn't perform in some events that I wanted to. I have to keep working at my short game. It's pretty good but there are still people out there who chip and putt better than I do."

As a British gymnastics champion at the age of nine, it is clear that Gabriela Caruso has a bright future ahead.

The youngster, who trains at the Esprit Academy, took the honours in the under 9 individual category at the British Rhythmic Gymnastics Championships in December.

She joined the Stratton-based club in 2004 and Mark Hows, of Esprit, said she has been picking up medals ever since.

"Gabriela is incredibly flexible and stood out as soon as we saw her, so we kept a close eye on her progress," he said.

"We knew she was in the top five in the country in her age group, but to win the British Championships was something else."

As well as the British Championships at the end of the year, 2008 should see Gabriela compete in the National Duets & Trios, the National Apparatus Finals, the Regional Championships and the Cantebury Cup.

But just how far can she Gabriela go in her gymnastics career?

Hows said: "Only time will tell. The 2012 Olympics is out of the question because she will be too young. She will have to wait for the one after that."

"If I win a medal at the Olympics, I'll be worth even more when I turn professional"

"It's make or break but I believe I can be even better than Jamie Cox" - that's the view of talented lightweight boxer Danny Bharj.

The Walcot switch-hitter is confident about his future in the sport but knows 2008 will be a crucial year.

The 19-year-old won the junior ABA title in 2007 and is a previous Four Nations gold medallist at under 18 level.

Last year Bharj also represented his country at junior and senior level, prompting his thoughts of medals at the 2010 Commonwealth Games and 2012 Olympics.

"It is a make-or-break year for me really," admitted Bharj. "Each year gets harder, the training gets harder but this is a big, big year for me.

"The highlight of last year was boxing for England. It was the first time I had represented my country so that was quality.

"Winning the Junior ABA title was good too and I want to do that again this year."

If Bharj can taste glory at the Commonwealth Games in Delhi in 2010 then he will follow in the footsteps of another former Walcot boxer, Jamie Cox.

"Jamie Cox won gold at the Commonwealths and I want to do the same," said Bharj. "I think I have the potential to be even better than Jamie Cox.

"I know Jamie turned professional after winning gold at the Commonwealths but I think I will try and go to the London Olympics in 2012 and win a medal there before I turn pro. If I win a medal at the Olympics I'll be worth even more when I turn professional."

Meanwhile, the expectation keeps rising for 16-year-old middleweight boxer Jorgen Cetaj.

"I always knew I could do well," said Cetaj. "But to win the junior ABAs, represent England, and win the four nations and European Union championships is beyond all expectations.

"I've had a good season last year and now I want to build on it and keep it going.

"I never expected to do this well but now the aim is higher. I want to go to the Commonwealths and then maybe the Olympics."

Thoughts of the Commonwealth Games and Olympics are some way off for Cetaj as he immediately focuses on retaining his ABA title.

He added: "I'm the favourite to win so I want to do that. The England coaches are keeping a close eye on me to see how I am doing so I have to keep working hard."

Cetaj puts much of his success down to the hard work of coach Harry Scott.

He added: "Harry is working with me in the gym six times a week and I don't know anyone else that would do that. He is so committed."