It may not have the drama of Red Sox−Yankees, nor will it boast the prestige of Celtics−Lakers. The fans won't cheer as they do at a Real Madrid−Barcelona game, and the players won't scream like they do at a UNC−Duke contest. But the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics is guaranteed to have an abundance of rivalries like the aforementioned classics. In preparation for Friday's opening ceremonies, the Daily counts down the top five rivalries sure to set fire in the wintry cold in the upcoming weeks.
1. Johnny Weir vs. Evan Lysacek: Weir and Lysacek, both Americans, figure to challenge heavily for a spot on the men's figure skating podium in Vancouver, though each will do so without any patriotic love from the other. This pair has been extremely vocal about their distaste for each other, which presumably dates back a decade, when Weir and Lysacek first became skating opponents.
At last month's U.S. Nationals, for instance, neither looked at the other during the news conferences. Lysacek, currently ranked No. 1 in the world, finished fourth in the 2006 Olympics but has the 2009 World Championship title under his sequined belt. Weir, on the other hand, is No. 9 in the world and placed fifth in 2006, though he won the bronze medal at the 2008 Worlds. But their differences extend far beyond mere results on the ice. While the flamboyantly outspoken Weir boasts showy costumes and a classical routine, Lysacek insists on a more athletic and "masculine" routine.
2. Kim Yu−Na vs. Mao Asada: On the women's figure skating side, the race for the gold medal figures comes down to South Korea's Kim and Japan's Asada. Kim aims to become the first South Korean to ever win an Olympic medal in figure skating, and the 19−year−old world champion has a legitimate shot at doing so. But Asada, born 20 days apart from Kim in 1990, is the former world and Grand Prix champion, and she will look to utilize her lavish jumps to steal gold away from Vancouver's favorite.
3. Lindsey Vonn vs. Lindsey Vonn's shin: The popular choice to become the winter's female version of Michael Phelps, Vonn planned to race in five Alpine ski events and was a serious medal threat in all of them. That is, before the best female skier in American history severely bruised her lower right shin during a training run in Austria last week. Now, Vonn is liable to miss the Games all together if she doesn't heal fast enough. After crashing during a training run in Torino in 2006, Vonn seems determined to compete, but will the skier who won two World Cup slaloms last year even reach the medal stand? Provided that she overcomes this injury, Vonn just might.
4. Sidney Crosby vs. Alex Ovechkin: When discussing elite NHL players, any talk usually begins with Crosby and Ovechkin. The stars of the Pittsburgh Penguins and Washington Capitals, respectively, will take the ice for Canada and Russia in the hopes of bringing Olympic gold back to their home countries. Crosby and Ovechkin have battled it out on the ice since the 2005 Junior World Championships. Canada and Russia are the clear favorites for the top two spots in Vancouver, and, if it comes down to it, the viewers could be in for a treat if these two handsome studs take the ice at the same time. And Crosby will have revenge on his mind after Russia knocked out the Canadians in the quarterfinals in 2006.
5. USA vs. Canada: The United States and Canada will be fighting it out not only for Northern American supremacy, but quite possibly the top spot in the overall medal count. Aside from the intense rivalry in women's hockey — the United States has won the past two world championships over two−time defending Olympic champion Canada — expect our neighbors to the north, who have never won a gold medal on home soil, to be gunning for America and Vancouver glory.
Canada and the United States excel at many of the same sports, such as speedskating, skiing and hockey. At the 2006 Olympics, the Americans and Canadians finished second and third overall, respectively, in the overall medal count, just one medal apart. When the torch gets lit, expect the sparks to fly.
