Hundreds of athletes will compete at the Vancouver Olympics in February 2010. Here is a look at those who are expected to contribute some of the Games' biggest performances.

Shaun White, United States, Snowboarding: The 2006 Olympic halfpipe champion is a multi-talented two-sport star (snowboarding and skateboarding) whose exuberant personality has helped make him the face of action sports. Shaun White has appeared on the cover of Rolling Stone magazine, toured the talk show circuit and has his own snowboarding video game, but life wasn't always this glamorous. A childhood heart defect required two major surgeries, and his family used to sleep in a van to save money while traveling for his snowboarding career. In Vancouver, White looks to become the first competitor in snowboarding's brief Olympic history to successfully defend a halfpipe title.

Lindsey Vonn, United States, Alpine Skiing: The first American woman - and second American ever - to win consecutive alpine skiing overall World Cup titles, Lindsey Vonn (née Kildow) has become arguably her sport's most formidable competitor. However, the Minnesota native is best remembered by many observers for her fearless recovery from a crash at the 2006 Torino Games. Two days after being hospitalized in a vicious downhill training fall, Vonn - spurred on by her idol and mentor, 1998 Olympic super-G champion Picabo Street - decided to race in the Olympic downhill, finishing eighth. Vonn has yet to win a medal in her two Olympic appearances, but the 2009 downhill and super-G world champion has emerged as a multi-medal threat entering her third Games in Vancouver. Another medal contender in the U.S. women's alpine ranks is 2006 Olympic giant slalom champion Julia Mancuso, who, like Vonn, will be 25 years old at the 2010 Games.