Lincoln Plews
Senior Sports Writer
It’s that time again, time for all the countries of the world to descend on some snowy locale to see who can do different snow-related sports the best. That’s right, it’s Winter Olympics time.
Being a Winter Olympics viewer can be tough. Should you watch the Swedes and the Canadians duke it out on the curling sheet, or follow the famous combination of skiing and target shooting known as the Nordic Biathlon? To help navigate these tough choices, here is a preview of the most compelling stories of this year’s Winter Olympics.
The Winter Olympics begins with the Opening Ceremony today and end on Sunday, Feb. 23. The games will be held in Sochi, Russia, ironically one of the country’s warmest and most tropical areas.
Now let’s start with the main attraction, the Flying Tomato himself, Shaun White. White, who chopped off his famous red locks in 2012, will be competing in his third Winter Olympics. He is vying for his third consecutive gold medal in the half-pipe. White will also compete in the slopestyle event, which is being included in the Winter Olympics for the first time.
While White has maintained his status as the face of snowboarding, this Olympics may be his toughest yet in terms of competition. The 27-year-old will face off with the 15-year-old Japanese sensation Ayumu Hirano (who got silver behind White in the Superpipe at the 2013 X-Games), as well as the more well-established Yuri Podladchikov (also known as iPod) of Switzerland.
Another must-watch will be the U.S. men’s hockey team, who are vying for their first Olympic gold since the 1980 “Miracle on Ice.” After coming up just short with silver in Vancouver in 2010, the team is now adopting a “gold or bust” mentality, but they will face stiff competition from the defending gold-medalist Canadian team led by Sidney Crosby and the host Russian team led by Alexander Ovechkin. No matter the results of these match-ups, world-class hockey is assured.
With the famous Lindsey Vonn not competing in this year’s games due to a knee injury, the name to look for in Alpine Skiing will be American Mikaela Shiffrin. At just 18 years old, Shiffrin is the reigning world champion in the slalom, and hopes to take after her predecessor Vonn by taking home the gold for team USA.
For those who are fans of funny helmets and spandex suits, speed skating has several compelling storylines this year. American star Shani Davis will attempt to win his third straight gold medal in the 1,000 meters. He will also vie for gold in the 1,500 meters, where he holds two silver medals and the world record.
In overall medal count the U.S., Canada, Norway, Germany and Russia are expected to lead the pack. In 2010 the U.S. took home the most overall medals with 37, while Canada took home the most golds at 14.
Whether you like hockey, skiing or people furiously sweeping the ice in front of a moving weight (I’m looking at you, curling), these Olympic Games are sure to deliver many memorable moments.