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Ted-Jan Bloemen skates during the men's 5000-metre race at the Olympic Speed Skating selections trials in Calgary, Alta., Thursday, Jan. 4, 2018.Jeff McIntosh/The Canadian Press

Canada has both big-name medal contenders and intriguing stories heading to the 2018 Winter Olympics. The Canadian Press takes a look at some of the athletes to keep an eye on in Pyeongchang, South Korea.

TED-JAN BLOEMEN

The Dutch-born long-track speedskater, who started racing for Canada in 2014 after getting his passport, owns the world record in both the 5,000 and 10,000 metres. The Calgary resident was on every World Cup podium this fall in the 5,000, and also finished second in the only 10,000-metre race.

CHARLES HAMELIN

A four-time Olympic medallist in short-track speedskating, including three golds, Hamelin is heading to his fourth Games. The Sainte-Julie, Que., product won bronze in the 1,000 metres at the 2017 world championships after grabbing gold at the same distance in 2016.

ALEX HARVEY

The cross-country skier from St-Ferreol-les-Neiges, Que., will be looking to become the first Canadian man to win an Olympic medal in his sport. Competing at his third Games, Harvey picked up his first World Cup podium of the season with a bronze in early January.

RACHEL HOMAN

The Ottawa curling skip will be appearing at her first Olympics. A three-time Canadian women's champion, Homan won gold at the 2017 worlds before qualifying for Pyeongchang in December. Canada has two gold, a silver and two bronze medals in women's curling since the sport made its debut in 1998.

KAILLIE HUMPHRIES

The two-time defending Olympic gold medallist in women's bobsled is going for a three-peat. The Calgary native finished second at the last two world championships, but topped the podium in three of eight World Cup races this season to grab her fourth overall title.

CHRIS KELLY

With NHL players not participating at the Games for the first time since 1994, Kelly leads Canada's men's hockey team into Pyeongchang. A 2011 Stanley Cup champion, the Toronto native has a combined 925 games of NHL regular-season and playoff experience with the Boston Bruins and Ottawa Senators.

MIKAEL KINGSBURY

The moguls skier from Deux-Montagnes, Que., won 13 straight World Cup events before finishing second in his last event before the Games. Kingsbury took silver in Sochi behind teammate Alex Bilodeau's gold-medal performance, and will be looking to go one step higher in South Korea.

KEVIN KOE

Like Homan, the men's curling skip will be making his Olympic debut. The Calgary resident won world titles in 2010 and 2016, and also owns three Canadian championships. Canada has claimed three straight Olympic gold medals in men's curling after grabbing silver in both 1998 and 2002.

JUSTIN KRIPPS

The silver medallist from Summerland, B.C., in two-man bobsled at last year's world championships looks to be hitting his stride. Sixth in the two-man in Sochi, Kripps won seven combined World Cup medals in two- and four-man this season, including one gold. He also grabbed his first overall title in two-man and took fourth in four-man.

MARK MCMORRIS

The Regina native's participation was in serious doubt last March after he was seriously injured in a backcountry snowboarding accident. But the seven-time Winter X Games champion has rebounded and will be looking to build on the slopestyle bronze he won in Sochi. With big air making its Olympic debut, McMorris is in the running for two medals in South Korea.

KAETLYN OSMOND

The figure skater from Marystown, N.L., won silver at last year's world championships. Osmond fell twice at the Canadian championships in January to finish second in the women's competition, but remains a strong medal hopeful in South Korea.

MAX PARROT

Similar to McMorris, the four-time Winter X Games champion from Bromont, Que., is a dual medal threat in snowboard with big air's inclusion. Parrot will be competing at his second Olympics after finishing fifth in slopestyle in 2014.

MARIE-PHILIP POULIN

Poulin provided one of the memorable moments from Sochi with her heroics in Canada's gold-medal victory against the United States in women's hockey. The Beauceville, Que., product tied the score in the final minute of regulation before adding the winner in overtime for the program's fourth straight Olympic title. Pyeongchang will be Poulin's third Games.

TESSA VIRTUE AND SCOTT MOIR

Canada's flag-bearers at the opening ceremony in Pyeongchang, the figure skaters are hoping to add to their three Olympic medals after coming out of retirement for their final Games. Virtue, from London, Ont., and Moir, from Ilderton, Ont., won gold in ice dance in Vancouver before earning a pair of silver medals in Sochi.

Chloe and Justine Dufour-Lapointe, Mikael Kingsbury and Andi Naude are among the athletes named to Canada’s Olympic freestyle skiing moguls team on Monday. Naude says not qualifying for Sochi motivated her to make the 2018 team.

The Canadian Press

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