It’s been a long road for Alvarez, a former inline skater from Florida who missed qualifying for the 2010 Vancouver Games, then took time off to rest chronically injured knees. During that time, he played baseball at Salt Lake Community College - batted .303 as the starting shortstop - before surgery to repair his injuries. Now, he’s qualified to race every distance in Sochi, and could medal individually or in the relay.
Twitter: @EddyAlvarez90
J.R. Celski
The new face of the short-track team, Celski is the heir apparent to boyhood idol Apolo Ohno. Now living in Salt Lake City, the Washington native won two bronze medals at the 2010 Olympics, and could fare even better in Sochi. He’ll race all three individual events as well as the relay, and could medal in any of them. He won gold and bronze at the final World Cup, and helped the relay medal in three of four races. Website
Twitter: @JRCelski
Chris Creveling
Quick, name the first skater to defeat Olympic bronze medalist J.R. Celski at the recent U.S. Olympic Trials. Yes, it was Creveling, who enjoyed a standout competition to qualify for Sochi in the 1,000 and 1,500 meters, as well as the team relay. A former inline champion from Pennsylvania who lives in Midvale, Creveling has not won an individual World Cup medal this season, but was on the relay that medaled in three of four races. Website
Twitter: @TophCrev
Jordan Malone
Malone will be competing in his second Olympics, after winning a bronze medal in the relay at the 2010 Vancouver Olympics. The former inline champion and native Texan, who now lives in West Jordan, has his best chance at another medal in that event again. He hasn’t won an individual World Cup medal in four years, but has skated on the relay team that medaled in three of four races this season. He’ll also race the 500 meters. Website
Twitter: @J2K111
Kyle Carr
Carr has been chasing his Olympic dream since switching to the ice from inline skating nearly 13 years ago. The Pennsylvania native finally made it by finishing fourth overall at the U.S. Olympic Trials and earning a place in the relay pool - despite not making the team for the World Cup season. Still, he helped the U.S. win bronze in the event at the 2011 world championships, and has a strong medal shot in Sochi. Website
Twitter: @CKyleCarr
Jessica Smith
Easily the top medal contender among the American women, Smith just barely missed qualifying for the 2010 Vancouver Olympics and spent the past four years devoting herself to reaching Sochi. The former inline skater and native of Michigan hasn’t reached the podium during the World Cup season, but she has been close, and will compete in all three individual distances - the 500, 1,000 and 1,500 meters.
Twitter: @TheJessicaSmith
Emily Scott
Talk about a turnaround. Scott had to apply for food stamps last year after her funding from U.S. Speedskating was cut, then raised nearly $50,000 from almost 700 donors after USA Today chronicled her story. Even better, the Missouri native and former inline skating champion who lives in West Jordan qualified to race all three individual events in her first Olympics, the 500, 1,000 and 1,500 meters - though she has never won an individual World Cup medal.
Twitter: @EmScott89
Aly Dudek
Winning a medal in her second Olympics is going to be a lot tougher for Dudek, who won bronze in the relay at the 2010 Vancouver Games. That’s because the Americans failed to qualify for the relay in Sochi, leaving Dudek to compete only in individual events - the 500 and 1,500 meters. The Wisconsin native who lives in Salt Lake City and has attended the University of Utah has never medaled in either event at a World Cup. Website
Twitter: @AlyDudek
Photos: The Salt Lake Tribune, USSA, Associated Press