2014 Olympics: Athletes Most Likely to Repeat at Sochi Games
The 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi are here, and the favorites in several sports are familiar faces.
Some young stars are emerging—such as Danny Davis, who recently won a gold medal in the X Games halfpipe competition, and Gracie Gold, who made the figure skating squad after a breakout performance in which she was named the 2014 U.S. national champion—but several veteran stars are still on top.
The most notable names returning are clearly Shaun White and Shani Davis, who are looking to add to their gold-medal counts after winning in 2010.
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Here are the returning athletes most likely to repeat in their respective sports.
Shaun White, U.S., Snowboarding Halfpipe
Say what you want about White, but his popularity is certainly warranted given the amount of success he's had on several big stages.
Based on his recent withdrawal from the Winter X Games in Aspen, it's clear that his focus is solely on bringing home a gold medal to America. White cited needing time to prepare for the Winter Olympics as his reason for not competing, according to ESPN Snowboarding:
White's ridiculous success in the snowboarding world has led to two gold medals in the halfpipe competition in the last two Winter Olympics. Despite a recent crash, White's coach confirmed that White is all in for the Winter Olympics, according to the Associated Press, via FoxNews.com.
The 27-year-old holds the X Games records for gold medals and highest overall medal count and is still improving each time he competes. While others stepped up in his absence in the recent competition, White's success at the Olympics proves he's not fazed by the big stage like younger competitors might be.
With other snowboarders such as Iouri Podladtchikov, Ayumu Hirano and Davis nipping at his heels, the Flying Tomato is still at the top of the snowboarding world until someone knocks him off.
Shani Davis, U.S., Speedskating
The loss of Apolo Anton Ohno might seem like a back-breaker for the U.S. speedskating team, but the return of Davis could prove fruitful for the Americans.
Davis is a two-time gold medalist from the 2006 and 2010 Olympics, and he also took home a silver medal in both 2006 and 2010. His golds came in the 1,000-meter event, while his silvers came in the 1,500-meter races.
Davis became the first black athlete ever to win a gold medal in an individual sport with his first win in 2006 and followed that up by becoming the first man to successfully defend the 1,000-meter gold medal.
With Davis putting on a show in the last two Olympics, a repeat seems likely from the American star. Though the strength of the U.S. speedskating team might not be what it once was, the 31-year-old is certainly primed for one more great run on the biggest stage.
Canadian Ice Hockey Team
OK, I know there are several strong teams in the field, including the U.S. and Russian teams, but Canada is once again bringing a strong roster to Sochi and could be primed for a repeat.
In 2010 Olympics, Canada's men beat the Americans 3-2 in the final. Sidney Crosby scored an overtime goal shortly after the U.S. had tied it with 25 seconds left in regulation. The goal gutted the U.S., but it could be a sign of things to come for Team Canada.
Close your eyes, U.S. fans.
With the likes of Sidney Crosby, Ryan Getzlaf, Jonathan Toews and Patrice Bergeron returning at the forward position, the Canadian team might be the deepest offensive team in the tournament.
Considering the fact that Duncan Keith and Roberto Luongo are still holding down the front on the opposite end, Canada might be able to upstage one of the other favorites and continue its reign atop the hockey world at the Olympics.
Getzlaf is currently one of the top scorers in the NHL in both goals and assists. As for the supporting cast, Toews and Bergeron have been scoring plenty of points lately and could be key for the Canadians.
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