2022 Beijing Winter Olympics: Team USA's Gold Medal Hopefuls

Although the United States is typically among the leaders in medal count at every Olympics, there are significantly fewer golds available during the Winter Games.

For example, the country's all-time record is 10 golds at Salt Lake City in 2002. As a result, the margin for error is much thinner compared to the summer editions. Team USA, nevertheless, heads to the 2022 Beijing Olympics with several big-name stars and more key contenders with a chance to stand atop the podium.

Shaun White, Mikaela Shiffrin and Chloe Kim headline the contingent of previous gold-medal winners. Nathan Chen and Erin Jackson, meanwhile, are top athletes chasing their first gold.

Watching as many of the 109 events as possible is ideal, of course, but you simply might not be have the time to follow everything. And if you prefer to spend that time cheering for top Team USA contenders, be sure to track these athletes.

Without a doubt, Shaun White is the superstar of Team USA. He's a three-time Olympic gold medalist in the halfpipe and aiming to close his career with a final iconic run.

But as White faces a major challenge to earn gold against a deep contingent from Japan, Chloe Kim is the favorite in the women's competition. She earned gold as a 17-year-old at the 2018 Pyeongchang Games and has since collected two more at both worlds and the X Games.

Jamie Anderson is a two-time reigning gold medalist in women's slopestyle and took silver in big air at Pyeongchang. She's a strong contender in both disciples once again.

Red Gerard also returns with an excellent chance to defend his slopestyle title, carrying a No. 1 world ranking to Beijing.

Mikaela Shiffrin is on the verge of becoming the most decorated alpine skier in Team USA history. Frankly, it'd be shocking if she doesn't reach that accomplishment in Beijing.

During the 2014 Sochi Games, Shiffrin won gold in slalom. She followed that up with a gold in giant slalom and silver in combined at the 2018 Pyeongchang Games. Her three Olympic medals trail only Julia Mancuso, who collected four in her career.

Of course, Shiffrin—who tentatively plans to compete in all five races—could approach the women's overall record of six.

Shiffrin's best events are considered the slalom and giant slalom, which showcase her technical ability more than speed. Still, she's medaled twice in Super-G at worlds, too.

Kaillie Humphries could join a very exclusive club of athletes who earned Olympic medals for two different countries.

After representing Canada in three Olympics—winning two golds and a silver in the two-woman race—she switched to the United States in 2019. Humphries, who has three world championship golds as a member of Team USA, is also a top contender in the inaugural monobob race.

Her primary competition doubles as a teammate.

Elana Meyers Taylor has two silvers and a bronze in the two-woman event at the Winter Games, and she's a leading gold threat in the monobob with Humphries, too.

Four years ago, Jessie Diggins and Kikkan Randall combined to secure the United States' first-ever cross-country skiing gold.

Diggins is back for more in 2022.

She'll be defending that medal in team sprint alongside a new teammate, as Randall has since retired. Diggins could appear in as many as six races at the Winter Games, though the weather could sway her final decisions regarding whether to compete in each one.

Diggins has a pair of victories in the current World Cup campaign after winning four races last season.

One of the best Team USA stories for the Beijing Games is centered on a couple of speed skaters.

Erin Jackson, the world's top-ranked 500-meter skater, slipped at the U.S. Olympic Trials and finished third, missing out on qualifying for the Olympic team. But her teammate and friend Brittany Bowe, who earned the victory, relinquished her spot to Jackson.

"In my heart, there was never a question that I would do whatever it took—if it came down to me—to get Erin to skate at the Olympics, Bowe said afterward.

The incredible part is Bowe has since reclaimed a place in the event because other countries didn't fill their quota. They'll be competing for 500-meter gold—together.

Bowe is also a top contender in the 1,000- and 1,500-meter races.

Nathan Chen headed to Pyeongchang with major expectations, as he'd become the first skater to land a quad flip at the Olympics. After narrowly missing the podium with a fifth-place finish in the men's competition, he managed a bronze in the team event.

Now 22, those expectations are even greater.

Chen has earned gold in three straight world championships, along with six consecutive U.S. titles. He's the favorite in the individual men's competition and may compete in the team event again.

Defending champion Yuzuru Hanyu and silver medalist Shoma Uno, both of Japan, will challenge Chen for gold.

If you're seeking a discipline in which several Team USA members may excel, you'll probably want to focus on freestyle skiing.

In the men's halfpipe, David Wise and Alex Ferreira will defend their gold and silver medals, respectively, with Aaron Blunck aiming to improve on two seventh-place finishes. Brita Sigourney took bronze in the women's competition four years ago and is back alongside 17-year-old Hanna Faulhaber.

Nick Goepper is a two-time slopestyle Olympic medalist, and Alex Hall is a threat in both the slopestyle and big air competitions. Mac Forehand and Colby Stevenson are slated to compete in both events, too.

Maggie Voison has a shot to improve on her fourth-place finish in slopestyle, and Jaelin Kauf is aiming to improve on a seventh-place spot in moguls at Pyeongchang.

Curling has become a fan-favorite event at the Olympics, and Pyeongchang only heightened the appeal for U.S. followers.

During the 2018 Winter Games, the American squad led by skipper John Shuster won a surprise gold medal. He's set to become a five-time Olympian on a roster that includes Chris Plys, Matt Hamilton, John Landsteiner and Colin Hufman. Hamilton and Landsteiner were part of the gold-winning crew, too.

But the competition will be fierce. Sweden skipper Niklas Edin, a two-time Olympic medalist, and 2018 bronze medalist Benoit Schwarz of Switzerland are also in Beijing.

Tabitha Peterson is the skip for the U.S. women's team, while Plys and Vicky Persinger will represent Team USA in mixed doubles.

On the men's side, the absence of NHL players has diminished the shine on the tournament. Team USA is expected to perform reasonably well, though not necessarily win gold.

The women's team, however, is positioned to defend its gold medal—with a Canada-sized obstacle.

In the 20-tournament history of the IIHF World Championship, the countries have met in 19 gold-medal games, with Canada holding an 11-8 edge. And through six Winter Olympics, the nations have five gold-medal matchups, with Canada in front 3-2. Four years ago, though, Team USA won an epic showdown in a shootout.

Long story short: Expect the U.S. squad to meet Canada for an opportunity at Olympic glory.