01of 12Kamila Valieva, 15DIMITAR DILKOFF/AFP via GettyThe 15-year-old Russian figure skater has been tapped as the Olympic favorite. She won gold at the 2022 Russian Figure Skating Championships and the Rostelecom Cup, where she earned the highest score in history with 87.42. She’s a big threat to the competition with a triple axel and both the quadruple toe and Salchow jumps ready in her skating arsenal.
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Kamila Valieva, 15
DIMITAR DILKOFF/AFP via Getty
The 15-year-old Russian figure skater has been tapped as the Olympic favorite. She won gold at the 2022 Russian Figure Skating Championships and the Rostelecom Cup, where she earned the highest score in history with 87.42. She’s a big threat to the competition with a triple axel and both the quadruple toe and Salchow jumps ready in her skating arsenal.
02of 12Matěj Švancer, 17David Ramos/Getty ImagesThe Alpine-turned-freestyle skier won first place at The Audi Nines in Switzerland and the FIS Freestyle Junior World Championships - Slopestyle in Russia. After switching disciplines at 15, Švancer also won gold at Lausanne 2020 and will be representing Austria at the Beijing games.
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Matěj Švancer, 17
David Ramos/Getty Images
The Alpine-turned-freestyle skier won first place at The Audi Nines in Switzerland and the FIS Freestyle Junior World Championships - Slopestyle in Russia. After switching disciplines at 15, Švancer also won gold at Lausanne 2020 and will be representing Austria at the Beijing games.
03of 12Matvei Michkov, 17RvS.Media/Basile Barbey/GettyThe Russian prodigy has the ice hockey world ablaze. He is the youngest national team player in the history of Russia and recently won gold at Lausanne 2020.
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Matvei Michkov, 17
RvS.Media/Basile Barbey/Getty
The Russian prodigy has the ice hockey world ablaze. He is the youngest national team player in the history of Russia and recently won gold at Lausanne 2020.
04of 12Eileen Gu, 18Sean M. Haffey/GettyAt 18, Gu will be taking on all three free-skiing disciplines: half-pipe, big air and slopestyle. The American-born Chinese skier is the 2021 world champion in slopestyle and halfpipe and won gold at Lausanne 2020. She will be representing China in Beijing.
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Eileen Gu, 18
Sean M. Haffey/Getty
At 18, Gu will be taking on all three free-skiing disciplines: half-pipe, big air and slopestyle. The American-born Chinese skier is the 2021 world champion in slopestyle and halfpipe and won gold at Lausanne 2020. She will be representing China in Beijing.
05of 12Kagiyama Yuma, 18Atsushi Tomura/GettyRepresenting Japan, Yuma was the only man to win both of his Grand Prix events in the 2021-2022 season and is the Lausanne 2020 champion. He also won bronze during day four of the 90th All Japan Figure Skating Championships in 2021.
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Kagiyama Yuma, 18
Atsushi Tomura/Getty
Representing Japan, Yuma was the only man to win both of his Grand Prix events in the 2021-2022 season and is the Lausanne 2020 champion. He also won bronze during day four of the 90th All Japan Figure Skating Championships in 2021.
06of 12Sofia Nadyrshina, 18Jurij Kodrun/Getty ImagesNadyrshina of Russia is only 18 but has already won gold at the FIS Snowboard Alpine World Championships.
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Sofia Nadyrshina, 18
Jurij Kodrun/Getty Images
Nadyrshina of Russia is only 18 but has already won gold at the FIS Snowboard Alpine World Championships.
07of 12Gyda Westvold Hansen, 19GEORG HOCHMUTH/APA/AFP via GettyCompeting in the Nordic combined, which involves cross-country skiing and ski jumping, Norway’s Hansen won the 2021 world championships and is the current World Cup yellow bib.
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Gyda Westvold Hansen, 19
GEORG HOCHMUTH/APA/AFP via Getty
Competing in the Nordic combined, which involves cross-country skiing and ski jumping, Norway’s Hansen won the 2021 world championships and is the current World Cup yellow bib.
08of 12Johannes Lamparter, 20Hans Peter Lottermoser/SEPA.Media /GettyAlso competing in the Nordic combined, the Austrian has won two gold medals during the 2021 world championships: one for the individual large hill and one in the team sprint.
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Johannes Lamparter, 20
Hans Peter Lottermoser/SEPA.Media /Getty
Also competing in the Nordic combined, the Austrian has won two gold medals during the 2021 world championships: one for the individual large hill and one in the team sprint.
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Alice Robinson, 20
Joe Allison/Getty
10of 12Yubin Lee, 20Joosep Martinson - International Skating Union/International Skating Union via GettyThe short track speed skater from South Korea won gold at the ISU World Cup in 2021 in Dordrecht and also won gold at the World Junior Short Track Speed Skating Championships in 2017.
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Yubin Lee, 20
Joosep Martinson - International Skating Union/International Skating Union via Getty
The short track speed skater from South Korea won gold at the ISU World Cup in 2021 in Dordrecht and also won gold at the World Junior Short Track Speed Skating Championships in 2017.
11of 12Marita Kramer, 20GEORG HOCHMUTH/APA/AFP via GettyThe Austrian ski jumper took first during the Individual HS98 at the FIS World Cup in 2021. She also won the normal hill individual event with the biggest point gap ahead of the next competitorin women’s World Cup.
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Marita Kramer, 20
The Austrian ski jumper took first during the Individual HS98 at the FIS World Cup in 2021. She also won the normal hill individual event with the biggest point gap ahead of the next competitorin women’s World Cup.
12of 12Yuto Totsuka, 20Sean M. Haffey/GettyThe Japanese snowboarder won first in the men’s snowboard halfpipe final at the Land Rover U.S. Grand Prix World Cup and first in the men’s snowboard halfpipe final at the Aspen FIS Snowboard and Freeski World Championship in 2021. He also finished second in the men’s snowboard halfpipe final in 2019.
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Yuto Totsuka, 20
The Japanese snowboarder won first in the men’s snowboard halfpipe final at the Land Rover U.S. Grand Prix World Cup and first in the men’s snowboard halfpipe final at the Aspen FIS Snowboard and Freeski World Championship in 2021. He also finished second in the men’s snowboard halfpipe final in 2019.
source: people.com
