2014 Winter Olympics: Stars Who Will Come Away with Most Medals
With fewer events, the Winter Olympics don't lend themselves to Michael Phelps-like dominance by one athlete. But that doesn't mean somebody won't end up taking home a nice collection of medals.
These three athletes will likely need new shelves in their medal cabinets for everything they'll take home from Sochi.
Marit Bjoergen, Norway
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If you want to win a high volume of medals at the Olympics, go into cross-country skiing. Case in point: Marit Bjoergen.
There were six events under the cross-country umbrella at Vancouver, and she won medals in five of them—three golds, one silver and one bronze. No other athlete had more.
Even at 33 years old, Bjoergen will likely retain her monopoly on cross-country skiing in Sochi. No one is better than she is at the moment.
Bjoergen won't let expectations become overwhelming. Per Reuters, via NBCOlympics.com, she said, "I'm 33 and I think I know how to take this. For me, it's important to relax and concentrate on what I want to do."
Sin Da-Woon, South Korea
South Korea has produced a plethora of talented speedskaters over the past few years, and Sin Da-Woon looks like the next in line. Injuries to the South Korean team have forced Sin to take a much larger role.
The 20-year-old is the reigning world champion, taking home gold in the 1,000 and 1,500 meters and silver in the 3,000 meters at the 2013 world championships in Debrecen, Hungary, back in March. It's been quite a meteoric rise, as he had to settle for bronze in both the 1,500 and 3,000 meters just one year prior.
Part of the South Korean relay team, Sin should be a lock to earn a medal there, and then it's all up to his performances in the 1,000 and 1,500.
Emil Hegle Svendsen, Norway
Norway has certainly found a niche when it comes to dominating the more obscure events in the Winter Olympics.
Emil Hegle Svendsen was one of the most decorated athletes in Vancouver, winning three medals in the biathlon. He won silver in the 10-kilometer sprint and gold in the 20-kilometer individual and the 4x7.5-kilometer team relay.
Svendsen is coming into Sochi on a massive hot streak, having cleaned up at the Biathlon World Championships in Nove Mesto. He won a total of five medals—four golds and a bronze. He's at the top of his game and will be the heavy favorite in Russia.
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