Beijing 2022 - Top athletes to watch
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In less than a week, the best athletes in the world will compete at this year's Winter Olympics. Participating in the Olympics is a dream come true for most athletes, but for others, it's an opportunity to make history. These athletes have spent countless hours mastering their craft and will see their efforts rewarded next month. While being an Olympian is an outstanding feat, only those who stand on the podium will be remembered as the accomplished ones. So let’s take a look at the top athletes that could win it all:
Chloe Kim
Source: Loic Venance / AFP
Following her gold medal at the 2018 Pyongchean Games, the 21-year old phenom took a well-deserved break. For the next 22 months, she focused solely on herself and her college classes. When she returned to competition, it didn't take her long to find her winning ways back. After her last event in Laax, Switzerland, she extended her winning streak to six-straight wins. She has won every half-pipe competition she has entered since 2018. If that's not convincing enough, back in 2018, she was the only competitor to break the 90 point mark, a feat she repeated at the Laax event. Expect to see her standing on the podium once again.
Team Canada (Men’s Hockey)
Source: Alexander Nemenov/Agence France-Presse - Getty Images
When the NHL first announced it would let players participate in this year's Olympics, the excitement for hockey fans was at an all-time high. Not only would NHL players return to the Olympics for the first time since 2014, but the tournament was expected to become one of the most competitive in years. Unfortunately, with the current COVID-19 situation, the NHL backtracked its decision and decided to use the scheduled Olympic break for make-up games.
Following that decision, Olympic coaches had to scratch NHL players from their rosters and look for new players. This task was the hardest for Team USA and Team Canada whose rosters were mainly composed of NHL players. However, one roster stands out from the others in my opinion, and that is Team Canada. The team not only has Eric Staal, an ex-NHL player, but it also has two rookie studs! His name is familiar, as he was drafted #3 overall in the 2021 NHL draft, and that is Mason McTavish. McTavish currently averages over a point per game this season, at 24 points in just a 22 game span, 15 of those points coming from goals.
The other stud is Devon Levi. While unfamiliar to most, Levi is an outstanding goalie! He currently ranks #1 in SV% among college goalies. To put it into perspective, over his last 31 games, Levi has a higher save percentage than any NHL goalie this season. Obviously, he didn't face the same teams, but it just shows how much talent this young man has. An exceptional goalie combined with a dynamic offense is bound for a deep run in the tournament. Everything will depend on the luck of the draw, but don't be surprised when Team Canada faces Team USA or ROC in the final. I also anticipate McTavish to score a minimum of 4 goals.
Ireen Wüst
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Ireen Wüst is the Micheal Phelps of speed skating. She is the most decorated Olympic speed skater of all time, and the fourth most decorated Winter Olympian. Her achievements include: 11 Olympic medals (5 Gold, 5 Silver, 1 Bronze), 7-time Allround World Champion, 14-time single distance World Champion, and a 5-time European Allround Champion. Additionally, if she were to stand on the podium at least once during these Games, she would become the first Olympian ever, both summer and winter, to medal in five different Olympic Games. Unfortunately, Wüst will be unable to become the all-time medal leader in Winter Olympic history. Even with a win in all her races, she would fall just one medal short of tying the great Marit Bjørgen (Cross-country skiing). Wüst announced she would retire in 2022 and that the Olympics could be her last competitive appearance. After such an outstanding career, she will settle for nothing less than a medal in her last Olympic Games.
Marco Odermatt
Source: Gabriele Facciotti/AP Photo
Alpine skiing is one of the most unpredictable disciplines of the Winter Olympics. A combination of both speed and precision is required from these athletes. One man has stood out this year, his name is Marco Odermatt. A native of Switzerland, Odermatt has taken over the world of alpine skiing in the last three years. After being a five-time Junior World Champion, Odermatt only needed two seasons before winning a World Cup race. Ever since that race win in 2019, his career has skyrocketed. He finished second in the World Cup standings in Giant Slalom, Super-G, and Overall at just 23 years old. This season alone, he tallied 8 race wins, across all disciplines. Along with those wins, he currently leads the World Cup standings in Giant Slalom and Overall; as well as ranking 2nd in Super-G standings, and 4th in Downhill. This should be convincing enough to add him to the list of favorites.
Kaillie Humphries
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Kaillie Humphries is the definition of a badass woman. Aside from her astonishing career, Humphries is a biker girl. She doesn't just own bikes, but she works on them herself. Add to that her numerous tattoos, and her ability to throw weight around the gym like it's nothing; and there you have it, the most fearless Olympian. Humphries is a two-time Olympic Champion for Canada. However, following alleged abuse by her staff, she decided to become an independent athlete under the IOC. That was until she received her US citizenship less than a month ago; the IOC proceeded to clear her to represent Team USA. During her impressive career, she has won over 70 medals, 40 of which were gold. She will try to add yet another medal to her list, this time for the "Land of the Free".
Mikaela Shiffrin
Source: Alain Grosclaude/Agence Zoom/Getty Images
This next athlete needs no introduction! Her winning record is beyond astonishing. To start off, she is the youngest FIS Crystal Globe winner in almost 40 years. She is the youngest skier ever to reach 50 World-Cup victories, surpassing skiing legend Lindsey Vonn. She has won 11 Crystal Globes during her 10-year professional career, six of them coming from just slalom races. The only year Shiffrin was outside the top-two overall was in 2016, following an injury that forced her to miss half the races.
Shiffrin is by far the best skier to ever step on this planet! Many regard Vonn as the greatest female skier of all time, but Shiffrin is just 9 wins shy of Vonn's all-time win record. But keep in mind Shiffrin is 8-years younger than Vonn when she retired! Shiffrin is the most decorated American athlete in World Championship history.
But if that's not enough, she is also the only skier ever, male or female, to win in all six alpine skiing disciplines. Should I mention that she is also a two-time Olympic champion, and the youngest ever slalom Olympic champion.
