Months and months of planning, qualifiers and training have all led to the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics and with the opening ceremonies just days away, it’s time to get yourself acquainted with some U.S. athletes. But there are so many different sports and over 200 athletes participating for the red, white and blue, so how does one know who to keep their eyes on?
Well we’ve complied the 10 must-see athletes for the games, whether it’s because of their name, their potential or simply what they could potentially accomplish. So, without further adieu:
Ed Miller is a contributor for CraveOnline Sports. You can follow him on Twitter @PhillyEdMiller or “like” CraveOnline Sports on Facebook.
Photo Credit: Getty
Top Sochi U.S. Athletes
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10. Nick Goepper (slopestyle skiing)
After walking away with X Games gold last month, Goepper will try to make it two in a row this winter at Sochi. The 19-year-old freestyle skier developed his own terrain park in his backyard at 13 and has since taken his sport by storm. There might bigger names in the event like Bobby Brown, but the Indiana native has an excellent shot of finishing on the podium.
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9. Patrick Kane (men’s ice hockey)
Kane’s NHL career has been impressive and he’s only 25-years-old. He’s hoisted the Stanley Cup twice as a member of the Chicago Blackhawks and even won the Conn Smythe Trophy. But at the international level, Kane has yet to experience victory. Last time around in Vancouver, the Buffalo native was key in the gold medal game-tying goal with mere seconds left against Canada. In the end, ‘the game for the ages’ ended in a silver medal for the U.S. but Kane is back and will have to be an even more important role player this time around.
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8. Shani Davis (speed skating)
At Vancouver, Davis pulled off what no other man has been able to do in the 1,000-meter event – defend his gold medal. This time around, Davis is looking for his third consecutive gold medal, which would prove to be the biggest accomplishment his sport – and the Winter Olympics – has ever seen. No athlete has ever accomplished the feat. Sure, he hides from the media and has some off-ice issues, but if he wins he’ll be among the top storylines.
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7. Bode Miller (alpine skiing)
Miller was the big name last time around, almost to the point that it was mentioned to death. He’s not the favorite to win gold in giant slalom or in the super-combined – that goes to teammate Ted Ligety – however, he’s the most decorated U.S. skier of all-time and at 36, he’s going to want to go out on top. He recently recovered from microfracture surgery and finished with three podium finishes on the World Cup circuit, proving he’s still got it.
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6. Kikkan Randall (cross-country skiing)
A four-time Olympian from Alaska, Randall heads to Sochi as a two-time World Cup sprint champion, defending world champion in the team sprint, and the favorite in the women's freestyle sprint. The men’s team was able to make significant strides in the sport four years ago and now Randall hopes to help the women do so. She seems destined for a spot on the podium, however it’s never quite that easy.
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5. Steve Holcomb (bobsled)
2010 was huge for the four-man U.S. bobsled team, ending a 48-year gold medal drought by dethroning the Germans, now Holcomb looks to end another drought. The U.S. team hasn’t won the two-man event in 78 years, something Holcomb hopes to change. He’s the top ranked two-man driver and second ranked four-man driver in World Cup competition this winter, which could be a recipe for success from the 33-year-old legally blind man from Utah.
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4. Mikaela Shiffrin (alpine skiing)
With Lindsey Vonn out, the U.S. is in need of a female to take charge and the Colorado native is just the woman to do it. Hailed as ‘the next Lindsey Vonn’, it’s clear that Shiffrin has the talent to be successful at 18-years-old. She’s the reigning slalom world champion and the leader in the 2014 slalom World Cup and although she’s not quite as diverse an athlete as Vonn, she has a great chance of being the youngest to ever medal in the event.
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3. Lindsey Jacobellis (snowboarding)
After a tough silver medal finish in Torin, Jacobellis was the big name four years ago before a spill left her with two torn ACLs and extreme disappointment. Now she’s back and ready to dominate. She’s got more X Games gold medals (8) than any other woman, the latest of which came last month, and the 28-year-old Connecticut native snowboard cross athlete might just become the biggest comeback story.
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2. Danny Davis (snowboard halfpipe -- sorry Shaun White)
We all know about Shaun White, because the media won’t stop talking about him but one of his biggest competitors might just be on his own team. Davis was supposed to participate at Vancouver but a freak accident on an ATV ended his dream – but he’s been back with a vengeance. He won X Games gold in halfpipe last month, pulling off, among other tricks, a sick backside 360 as well as a McTwist. He tends to shy away from spin tricks, which might be why he’s flown under the radar, but his calm and collected style could put him on the podium.
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1. Lolo Jones (bobsled)
There’s been so much mentioned about Jones recently that it was difficult to keep her off of this list. It’s her first venture to the Winter Olympics, as most might remember her for tripping during her tough 100-meter loss at the 2008 Summer Olympics. Some think she’s going as a publicity stunt, others think she has a legit shot – but with an additional 30 pounds of muscle, she’s out to prove herself, looking for gold medal redemption.
