SI's MEDAL PICKS
ICE HOCKEY
Sweden, which defeated the Soviet Union for the 1991 world championship (photoabove), will field a formidable Olympic team that includes such former NHLplayers as Mats N‚Äö√†√∂¬¨√üslund, H‚Äö√†√∂‚Äö√Ñ¢kan Loob, Bengt-‚Äö√†√∂‚àö√±ke Gustafsson and Thomas Rundqvist.The Soviet Union has won seven Olympic gold medals since 1956 but, as theUnified Team, has lost such key players as Sergei Makarov, Sergei Fedorov andAlexander Mogilny to the NHL. The relatively young team will have its handsfull with the more seasoned Canadians as well as with the Swedes.
[GOLD]SWEDEN
[SILVER]CANADA
[BRONZE]UNIFIED TEAM*
*UNIFIED TEAM OFFORMER SOVIET REPUBLICS
Nordic Skiing
Elena Vialbe, from Siberia, should win a medal in all the women's cross-countryevents. If not for Italy's Stefania Belmondo in the classical races, Vialbewould be a safe bet for five golds. No one is likely to win a ski jumping medalwithout using the "V-style," in which a wide "V" is formed withthe skis, enabling the skier to fly farther. The Austrian jumpers should winthe team competition easily.
[This articlecontains a table. Please see hardcopy of magazine or PDF.]
NORDICCOMBINED
INDIVIDUAL
[GOLD]KLAUSSULZENBACHER, AUSTRIA
[SILVER]TROND EINAR ELDEN, NORWAY
[BRONZE]FRED BORRE LUNDBERG, NORWAY
TEAM
[GOLD]NORWAY
[SILVER]AUSTRIA
[BRONZE]FRANCE
SKI JUMPING
NORMAL HILL
[GOLD]TONINIEMINEN, FINLAND
[SILVER]STEFAN ZUND, SWITZERLAND
[BRONZE]MARTIN HOLLWARTH, AUSTRIA
LARGE HILL
[GOLD]TONINIEMINEN, FINLAND
[SILVER]ANDREAS FELDER, AUSTRIA
[BRONZE]WERNER RATHMAYER, AUSTRIA
LARGE HILL,TEAM
[GOLD]AUSTRIA
[SILVER]FINLAND
[BRONZE]GERMANY
[This articlecontains a table. Please see hardcopy of magazine or PDF.]
FIGURE SKATING
World champion Kurt Browning of Canada has a slipped disk but a way of risingto the occasion. He was the first to land a quadruple jump in competition andhas since dazzled audiences with triple-triple combinations. If Japan's MidoriIto and world and U.S. champ Kristi Yamaguchi both perform flawlessly, Ito hasan advantage: the triple Axel.
MEN'S SINGLES
[GOLD]KURTBROWNING, CANADA
[SILVER]VIKTOR PETRENKO, UNIFIED TEAM
[BRONZE]CHRISTOPHER BOWMAN, U.S.A.
WOMEN'SSINGLES
[GOLD]MIDORI ITO,JAPAN
[SILVER]KRISTI YAMAGUCHI, U.S.A.
[BRONZE]TONYA HARDING, U.S.A.
PAIRS
[GOLD]MISHKUTIENOK/DMITRIEV, UNIFIED TEAM
[SILVER]BRASSEUR/EISLER, CANADA
[BRONZE]SCHWARZ/KONIG. GERMANY
DANCE
[GOLD]USOVA/ZHULIN, UNIFIED TEAM
[SILVER]KLIMOVA/PONOMARENKO, UNIFIED TEAM
[BRONZE]DUCHESNAY/DUCHESNAY, FRANCE
BOBSLED
The battle of the bobsleds appears to be a German versus Swiss affair.Switzerland's Gustav Weder is out to claim his first Olympic gold, having wonthree world championships. Germany's Wolfgang Hoppe has two Olympic golds andfour world titles, but an injured thigh muscle may slow him in the starts.
BOBSLED
TWO-MAN
[GOLD]WEDER/GERBER, SWITZERLAND
[SILVER]HOPPE/HANNEMAN, GERMANY
[BRONZE]LOCHNER/ZIMMERMANN, GERMANY
FOUR-MAN
[GOLD]SWITZERLANDI (DRIVER: WEDER)
[SILVER]GERMANY I (DRIVER: HOPPE)
[BRONZE]GERMANY II (DRIVER: CZUDAJ)
LUGE
Duncan Kennedy and Cammy Myler of the U.S. could take medals in the men's andwomen's singles, but the golds will go to Austrian or German athletes, who havewon 18 of 21 Olympic golds in luge since '64.
[This articlecontains a table. Please see hardcopy of magazine or PDF.]
ALPINE SKIING
If weather conditions allow the men's downhill to be held on Val d'Isère's newOlympic course, Switzerland's Franz Heinzer has the technique to win on thesteep and curvy terrain. If the race has to be switched to the flatter andfaster Oreiller-Killy course, AJ Kitt of the U.S. could earn a medal, possiblygold. Petra Kronberger is being challenged in the women's downhill and combinedby Austrian teammate Sabine Ginther, while Alberto Tomba of Italy and VreniSchneider of Switzerland should repeat as double Olympic champs. Moguls worldchamp Donna Weinbrecht is a favorite for the gold in freestyle.
[This articlecontains a table. Please see hardcopy of magazine or PDF.]
FREESTYLESKIING
MEN
MOGULS
[GOLD]EDGARGROSPIRON, FRANCE
[SILVER]JEAN-LUC BRASSARD, CANADA
[BRONZE]NELSON GARMICHAEL, U.S.A.
WOMEN
MOGULS
[GOLD]DONNAWEINBRECHT, U.S.A.
[SILVER]STINE LISE HATTESTAD, NORWAY
[BRONZE]RAPHAELLE MONOD, FRANCE
SPEED SKATING
Germany's Gunda Niemann is on track for three medals, but she'll be up againstYvonne van Gennip of the Netherlands, an '88 triple gold medalist. U.S. hopesride with Bonnie Blair, who should win the 500 and 1,00, and Dan Jansen, whofaces Olympic champ Uwe-Jens Mey of Germany in a 500 too close to call.
[This articlecontains a table. Please see hardcopy of magazine or PDF.]
[This articlecontains a table. Please see hardcopy of magazine or PDF.]
PHOTO
ARI OJALA/LEHTIKUVA
PHOTO
OLAV OLSEN/SCANFOTO (VIALBE)
ELENA VIALBE UNIFIED TEAM
PHOTO
MAURITZ ANTIN/LEHTIKUVA (NIEMINEN)
TONI NEMINEN FINLAND
PHOTO
LINE MOLLER/SCANFOTO (NYKKELMO)
GRETE NYKKELMO NORWAY
PHOTO
HEINZ KLUETMEIR (ITO)
MIDORI ITO JAPAN
PHOTO
NANCIE BATTAGLIA (PROCK)
MARKUS PROCK AUSTRIA
PHOTO
BONGARTS (WEDER)
GUSTAV WEDER SWITZERLAND
PHOTO
LORI ADAMSKI-PEEK (HEINZER)
FRANZ HEINER SWITZERLAND
PHOTO
BOB MARTIN/ALLSPORT (GIRARDELLI)
MARC GIRARDELLI LUXEMBOURG
PHOTO
CARL YARBROUGH (WEINBRECHT)
DONNA WEINBRECHT U.S.A.
PHOTO
RICK STEWART/ALLSPORT USA (GROSPIRON)
EDGAR GROSPIRON FRANCE
PHOTO
CARL YARBROUGH
DAN JANSEN U.S.A.
EIGHTEEN PHOTOS
LANE STEWART
TWO PHOTOS