The Tribune

For many Canadians, anything less than a gold medal in the Olympic men’s hockey event is unacceptable. Four years ago in Turin, the Russians stunned an entire nation when they blanked Canada 2-0, preventing the Canucks from advancing to the semi-finals. The 2010 edition of the Winter Games is nothing less than a chance at redemption for the tournament favourites.

Olympic gold is Canada’s to lose in Vancouver. After winning easily in Salt Lake City and Turin, Canada will be relying on experience to guide them to the top of the podium once again. Canadian legends Kim St. Pierre and Hayley Wickenheiser are back, along with superstar McGill goaltender Charline Labonté, but the team will be without veteran Danielle Goyette for the first time since the 1998 Games.

While Jamaica will not be participating in bobsleigh next week, there’s no need to fret, as this will remain one of the most exciting events at the Olympics. The biggest stars in the sport will be out at the Whistler Sliding Centre to compete in the four-man, two-man, and two-woman events.

The McGill Redmen men’s basketball team’s 67-65 loss to the Concordia Stingers on Saturday had it all: lead changes, mental lapses, great defence, and a dramatic game-winning shot. After a dismal second quarter – in which the Redmen scored a measly two points – McGill slowly clawed their way back to lead by four in the final minutes.

The newest event in Vancouver could perhaps be the most exciting. The field is pretty wide open, with plenty of emotional storylines. Multiple Canadian women have come out of the woodwork this year, and have a great chance at more than one medal. Mother of two Ophélie David is a pioneer in the sport, and will likely retire after this year.

McGill student Jennifer Heil is – bar none – the best female mogulist in the world. She’s won the last four Freestyle Skiing World Cup events, and rides a tidal wave of momentum into the 2010 Olympics. If she doesn’t bring home gold on the first night of competition, it would be a shocking disappointment.

Remember the name Melissa Hollingsworth: you’ll be hearing a lot about her this month. The Alberta native finished third in Turin, but is the consensus favourite to win gold in Vancouver. Canada has more than one medal threat in this event as well – Amy Gough has slid her way onto the team by posting strong times at World Cup events.

The fastest human-powered sport in the world will offer plenty of excitement for the fans in Vancouver. In the “short-track” events – where skaters race against each other on a track about the size of a hockey rink – South Korea will attempt to repeat their dominating performance in Turin, where they won six out of eight possible gold medals.

In the world of sports – where every team seems to think they have a chance at the playoffs and every player parrots the same lines about winning on “Any given Sunday” – the honest and realistic goals of the McGill Redmen volleyball team are refreshing. The players and coaches talk about single games, not tournaments; about learning from mistakes, not about knocking off powerhouse teams like the Dalhousie Tigers; and about competing, not necessarily about winning.