Patrick Chan of Canada has won two Grand Prix events and the Four Continents title this season and appears to be hitting his stride already at 18. The Ottawa native trains in Toronto with Don Laws, who coached American Scott Hamilton to gold in 1984. No Canadian athlete has won gold at an Olympics held on home ice (or turf) but Chan could be the first. (Matthew Stockman / Getty Images)
The 26-year-old Shani Davis recently joined Eric Heiden as the only men to win sprint and allround world titles. At the Turin Games, he won gold in the 1,000 the first African American to win an individual medal in the Winter Games and silver in the 1,500. Hes favored again at both distances. (Koji Sasahara / Associated Press)
Kim Yu-Na of South Korea is a secure jumper who is also expressive and gets high marks for her skating skills and artistry. She trains in Toronto and should have support from Canadian fans and the Korean community in Vancouver (Paul Chiasson / Associated Press)
Wang Meng, 23, has dominated the World Cup circuit at 500 and 1,000 meters. She was the world champion at both distances last season as well as in the 1,500. (Kiyoshi Ota / Getty Images)
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Lindsey Vonn, a 24-year-old Minnesotan, injured her right thumb opening a Champagne bottle to celebrate her super-giant slalom and downhill victories at the recent world championships. Surgery to repair a tendon in her right thumb could hamper her training for Vancouver. (Alexander Hassenstein / Getty Images)
Aksel Lund Svindal of Norway won gold in the super-combined and bronze in the super-giant slalom at the world championships this year after winning the downhill and giant slalom at the 2007 world championships. (Jacques DeMarthon / AFP / Getty Images)
Hayley Wickenheiser celebrates with her son, Noah, after Canada’s 4-1 victory over Sweden in the 2006 Turin Games gold-medal women’s hockey game. She shows no signs of slowing at age 30. (Al Bello / Getty Images)