It's impossible to talk about the Winter Olympics without mentioning Shaun White at some point or another. The two-time gold medalist is the best snowboarder in the world, and there is no doubt he is a heavy favorite to bring home his share of medals during the 2014 Winter Olympics.
Coming out of Sweden, Simon Ammann is quietly one of the one of the best ski jumpers in the world. During the last winter Olympics in Vancouver, Ammann came away with a gold medal. There's no reason to think that, with even more experience heading into his fifth Olympics, Ammann can't come away with a few medals from Sochi.
Despite being 36-years old, U.S. skier Bode Miller is easily still at the top of his game. These will be Miller's fifth Olympic games, and combined with his age, they could be Bode Miller's last Olympics as well. Look for Miller to be shooting for his 2010 total of three medals. He might be getting up there in age, but he is in prime position to again dominate these Olympics.
A 2010 gold medalist in skiing, German skier Viktoria Rebensburg goes into these Sochi games with some good momentum. Rebensburg is a young female skier on the rise, and if everything goes as planned, you can bet she will earn a few medals in Sochi.
Patrick Chan, a figure skater out of Canada, is easily among the best male figure skaters in the world. In the 2010 Winter Olympics, Chan managed to place fifth; however, he has a very good opportunity to really show what he can do in Sochi this year. Throw in the fact that Chan is still just 23 years old, and all of a sudden you realize just how dominant he could become.
Alexandre Bilodeau, a Canadian freestyle skier, has become one of the best in the world at what he does, and it's no wonder that he is a safe bet to win a few medals. He snagged his first gold in 2010, and it's very possible he adds another medal to a collection that seems to be just getting started.
Charles Hamelin, the three-time medalist out of Canada, is heading into Sochi with a proven background of being able to perform at the Olympic level. In a Winter Olympics that somewhat lacks in experience, look for Hamelin to take advantage of the inexperience around him.
Christine Nesbitt, a speedskater out of Canada, is one of the favorites to come away with some Olympic bling this year -- and for good reason. She won gold in 2010, and you can bet she is determined to capture more medals this time around.
Lizzy Yarnold, a British skeleton racer, is in a great position to give Great Britain a few medals during these Winter Olympics. Yarnold is very consistent, and at age 25, she has an opportunity to mature very quickly in Sochi.
German luger Felix Loch is perhaps one of Germany's strongest Olympic medal contenders. The youngest gold medalist in Olympic luge history, Loch has matured and grown since winning the gold in 2010, and it's scary to think what he could be capable of at these Olympics.
