Canadian athletes to watch at the 2018 Winter Olympics
Here's who to keep an eye on at the Games in Pyeongchang
Let's be honest: narrowing down this list of Canadian athletes to watch at the upcoming Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea was very difficult.
Canada is once again expected to boast a strong contingent of athletes in an array of events — plus, we still don't know who will be representing the country in sports like curling and men's hockey.
For now, with the Games 100 days away, here's a look at some of Canada's top athletes heading into the Olympics.
Mikael Kingsbury
When the first four letters of your last name imply royalty, you enter life with the bar set pretty high. Kingsbury has lived up to his name and more as Canada's premier moguls skier. The 25-year-old from Deux-Montagnes, Que., has a silver from the 2014 Sochi Olympics, a pair of world championships and owns the record for the most World Cup podium finishes in his sport.
Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir
Canada's top ice dance duo is back for another run at Olympic gold. Winners at the 2010 Games in Vancouver, Virtue and Moir also earned silver medals in both the ice dance and team events in Sochi. The pair from London (Virtue) and Ilderton, Ont., (Moir) is coming off its strongest season in years, going undefeated en route to a third world championship.
Charles Hamelin
These will be the fourth Olympic Games for the three-time gold medallist. The 33-year-old short track speed skater from Lévis, Que., has been successful in both individual and relay events, so be sure to watch out for Hamelin. That is, if you can actually see him...
Mark McMorris
The seven-time X Games gold medallist in big air and slopestyle had already secured a spot in Pyeongchang when he was involved in a near-fatal crash while backcountry snowboarding in March. The 23-year-old Regina native, who won bronze at slopestyle's Olympic debut in 2014, expects to be ready for the inaugural big air event at the Games.
Ivanie Blondin
Long track mass start speed skating will make its Olympic debut in February, something that caters perfectly to Blondin. The 27-year-old Ottawa native won mass start gold at the 2016 world championships and earned silver the year before.
The Dufour-Lapointe sisters
Canada's first family of freestyle has a lot to boast about — youngest sister Justine, left, won moguls gold in Sochi, while middle child Chloe took silver. Eldest Maxine will also be competing at the upcoming Games, but lately it's all been about the other two Dufour-Lapointes.
Marie-Philip Poulin
The captain of Canada's women's hockey team has a knack for scoring goals in gold-medal games. The 26-year-old from Beauceville, Que., scored twice in Canada's 2-0 win against the United States in Vancouver, then netted the overtime winner in Sochi after equalizing late in the third period.
Max Parrot
An upside-down shot of the 23-year-old from Bromont, Que., seems appropriate, considering Parrot was the first snowboarder to land a quad underflip in competition. The slopestyle and big air dual threat is considered a podium favourite for both events at these Olympic Games.
Kaillie Humphries
Can Humphries make it three Olympic bobsleigh golds in a row? The 32-year-old from Calgary will likely have a different brakeman for these Games than her previous Olympics, but the Vancouver and Sochi champion is preparing for another podium after a season where she finished second at both the world championships and in the overall World Cup standings.
Alex Harvey
The cross-country skier famous for his air-guitar celebration heads into the Winter Olympics with plenty of confidence after a season in which the 29-year-old from Saint Ferreol-les-Neiges, Que., finished third in the overall World Cup standings. These will be Harvey's third Games, one shy of his father Pierre, who also skied for Canada.
