Photos: Meet the twenty Coloradans in the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics

Vail's Lindsay Vonn announced that a knee injury would prevent her competing in the upcoming 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia. But Coloradans will still have plenty of rooting interest. The official total of participating athletes from our fair state is nineteen -- among them highly touted skier Mikaela Shiffrin, seen here and below. But this roster features twenty if the Colorado Avalanche's Paul Stastny is included -- and since he lists his residence as Denver, we say he should count. Continue for details about all twenty, featuring photos, videos and text from TeamUSA.org. Jeremy Abbott Sport: Figure Skating Discipline: Men Height: 5'10" Aspen, CO

Olympic Experience: 2010 Olympic Winter Games, 9th in men

Career Highlights: Seven-time Grand Prix Series medalist (three gold, two silver, two bronze) Three-time U.S. champion (2009, 2010, 2012) 2013, U.S. bronze medalist 2012, World Team Trophy silver medalist 2011, Four Continents bronze medalist 2010, World Championships, fifth place 2009, World Team Trophy gold medalist 2008, Grand Prix Final champion 2007, Four Continents bronze medalist 2005, U.S. junior champion

Fun Facts: Started a fund with the Aspen Skating Club to support competitive local male figure skaters.... Has a sister, Gwen, who was a competitive downhill skier.... Favorite snack is hummus.

Lanny Barnes PERSONAL DATA

Residence: Durango, CO Hobbies: Soccer, Fly Fishing, Climbing, Hunting, Drawing

Did you know...?

• Favorite Olympic moment: when the US women won their first soccer Gold Medal • My favorite outfit is Wrangler jeans, belt buckle and a cowboy hat • My favorite place in the world is Durango • My best friend is Tracy • The best thing in the last couple of years was being able to share the Olympics with my family • If I were not a world class athlete, I would be a coach & artist • I am a slacker when it comes to waxing my skis • My favorite psych-up music is Pink & Zach Brown Band • In 2014, I expect to be at the Olympics as a Gold medalist

SPORT DATA

First Year in Biathlon: 1998 Member of National Team since: 2004 Uniform: Adidas Skis & Boots: Atomic Coaches: Jonne Kahkonen and Tracy Barnes

David Chodounsky

Sport: Alpine Skiing Discipline: Slalom, Giant Slalom Height: 5'11" Current Residence: Crested Butte, Colo. College: Dartmouth College '08, Engineering, Geology

Career Highlights: 2013, World Cup at Adelboden, Switzerland slalom 10th place 2012, World Cup at Val d'Isere, France slalom 15th place 2009, U.S. slalom champion

Fun Facts: Enjoys fishing.... Fan of the Denver Broncos.... Began skiing at the age of 2 when his parents pushed him down the front yard hill.

Simi Hamilton Sport: Cross Country Skiing Height: 5'10" Current Residence: Aspen, Colo. College: Middlebury College Olympic Experience:

2010 Olympic Winter Games, 13th in men's 4x10k relay, 29th in men's sprint, 64th in men's 15k

Career Highlights: 2012, World Cup in Drammen, Norway sprint classic 7th place 2011, World Championships sprint freestyle 25th place 2011, World Cup in Rogla, Slovakia, sprint freestyle 10th place 2010, U.S. sprint freestyle champion

Fun Facts: Enjoys biking and surfing.... Rock climbs in Colorado, Utah and Idaho.... Mother would attach a leash around him as a child while skiing down the mountain to keep him in control.

Continue to meet more of the twenty Coloradans in the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics. Noah Hamilton Sport: Cross Country Skiing Height: 5'9" Current Residence: Park City, Utah

Career Highlights: 2013, World Championships 15th place in 15k 2012, World Cup at Nove Mesto na Morave, Czech Republic, 12th in 4x10k relay 2012, World Championships 29th in 15k classic 2012, World Championships 30th in 50k freestyle 2012, U.S. champion in 30k classic 2009, World Cup at Vancouver, Canada 25th in 30k pursuit

Fun Facts: Enjoys reading, watching other sports and hanging out with friends and family.... Hobbies include playing tennis, alpine skiing and soccer.... Postponed college to pursue skiing, but is academically interested in economics and public policy, physics, mathematics and technical theater.

Keri Herman

Sport: Freeskiing Discipline: Slopestyle Height: 5'7" Current Residence: Breckenridge, Colo. College: University of Denver

Career Highlights: Four-time X Games silver medalist Two-time Dew Tour medalist (one silver, one bronze) Ranked 2nd in 2011 for slopestyle by Association of Freeskiing Professionals Ranked 2nd in 2009 for slopestyle by Association of Freeskiing Professionals Ranked 3rd overall in 2012 by Association of Freeskiing Professionals

Fun Facts: Enjoys every type of sporting activity.... Got a late start in skiing, hitting her first rail at age 21.... Main focus growing up was ice hockey.

Heidi Kloser

Sport: Freestyle Skiing Discipline: Moguls Height: 5'7" Current Residence: Vail, Colorado School: Vail Ski and Snowboard Academy Olympic Experience:

2014 Olympic Winter Games

Career Highlights: 18th, MO, World Championships, Deer Valley, UT, 2011 World Cup Rookie of the Year for women's moguls, 2010 13-time World Cup top 15 finisher Five-time NorAm podium finisher, including three victories

Personal: Kloser has always done a lot of mountain and road biking, and she grew up climbing Colorado 14ers with her family. "I like to play ball sports. I find them fun and good training," she says. "I also enjoy nordic skiing, kayaking and anything adventurous."

Aaron Blunck Residence: Crested Butte, CO Sport: Halfpipe

Continue to meet more of the twenty Coloradans in the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics. Bobby Brown

Sport: Freeskiing Discipline: Slopestyle Height: 6'2" Current Residence: Breckenridge, Colo.

Career Highlights: Nine-Time Dew Tour medalist (four gold, three silver, two bronze) Five-Time X Games medalist (four gold, one silver) 2012, ranked 3rd overall by Association of Freeskiing Professionals 2011, Association of Freeskiing Professionals slopestyle champion 2011, ranked 3rd overall by Association of Freeskiing Professionals 2010, Association of Freeskiing Professionals slopestyle champion

Fun Facts: Enjoys spending his free time perfecting tricks on the trampoline or in the skate park.... Appreciates and enjoys art.... Began skiing at age 11-- a late start compared to most.

Lyman Currier Sport: Freeskiing Discipline: Slopestyle Height: 5'11 Current Residence: Boulder, CO

Career Highlights: 1st, HP, The North Face Park and Pipe Open Series, Northstar, CA, 2013 6th, HP, VISA U.S. Grand Prix, Mammoth Mountain, CA, 2012 Six World Cup starts since 2011 and one victory.

Personal: You'll find Currier with his Boulder crew of friends playing basketball, training and listening to music. He also enjoys travel, culture and food.

Gus Kenworthy Sport: Freeskiing Discipline: Halfpipe, Slopestyle Height: 5'10" Current Residence: Telluride, Colo.

Career Highlights: 2013, World Cup at Rosa Khutor, Russia, halfpipe silver medalist 2012, Association of Freeskiing Professionals overall champion 2012, Winter X Games slopestyle fourth place 2012, World Cup at Mammoth Mountain, Calif., slopestyle seventh place 2012, World Cup at Mammoth Mountain, Calif., halfpipe seventh place 2011, Association of Freeskiing Professionals overall champion 2011, Dew Tour at Killington, Vt., halfpipe silver medalist 2011, Dew Tour at Breckenridge, Colo., slopestyle fourth place 2011, Dew Tour at Breckenridge, Colo., halfpipe fourth place

Fun Facts: Hobbies include skateboarding, jumping on the trampoline and chasing snow throughout the year.... Favorite mountain to ski is Whistler.... Aspires to win X Games medal in all three skiing disciplines.

Torin Yater-Wallace Sport: Freeskiing Discipline: Halfpipe Height: 5'6" Current Residence: Basalt, Colo.

Career Highlights: Five-time World Cup medalist (three gold, two silver) Five-time X Games medalist (two gold, one silver, two bronze) 2013, World Cup overall second place 2013, World Championships silver medalist 2012, Association of Freeskiing Professionals halfpipe champion 2012, AFP overall second place 2012, Dew Tour at Killington, Vt., gold medalist 2012, Dew Tour at Snowbasin, Utah, bronze medalist

Fun Facts: Hobbies include skating, jumping on the trampoline and hanging out with friends.... Attends Aspen High School.

Continue to meet more of the twenty Coloradans in the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics. Paul Stastny

Home: Denver, Colorado Birth Year: 1985 Forward Height: 6'0" (183) | Weight: 205 (93) Shoots: Left 2008-09 Team: Colorado Avalanche

USA HOCKEY EXPERIENCE: 2006-07: Member of the U.S. Men's National Team at the 2007IIHF Men's World Championship ... Ranked second on team in goals (4) and points (8).

2003-04: Member of the U.S. Junior Select Team at the 2004 Viking Cup ... Helped the United States to a second-place finish and earned the tournament's Top Forward award after totaling 11 points (6-5).

NHL EXPERIENCE: With Colorado: 2008-09: Appeared in 45 games with the National Hockey League's Colorado Avalanche during his third season ... Missed 37 games due to injuries ... Third on team in power-play goals (7) and fifth with 36 points (11-25) ... Was team's leading scorer at time of injury.

2007-08: Skated in 66 regular-season games ... Led team in assists (47) and points (71), and third on team in goals (24) ... Named to Western Conference All-Star Team ... Skated in nine playoff games and notched two goals and an assist.

2006-07: Played in all 82 games during his rookie season and recorded a franchise rookie-record 78 points (28-50) ... Recorded a point in 20 consecutive games from Feb. 3-March 17, breaking the NHL record for longest scoring streak by a rookie (Teemu Selanne; 17 games in 1992-93) ... Notched 11 goals with 12 assists and a +12 rating during that stretch.

ADDITIONAL EXPERIENCE: Played two seasons (2004-06) at the University of Denver of the Western Collegiate Hockey Association and totaled 98 points (36-62) in 81 games... Captured the WCHA scoring title with 44 points (15-29) in 28 conference games as a sophomore (2005-06) ... Totaled 53 points (19-34) and earned All-WCHA First Team honors ... Ranked 10th in the nation with 1.36 points per game ... As a freshman (2004-05), named WCHA Rookie of the Year and helped Denver to its second consecutive national title ... Recorded three points (2-1) in Denver's 4-1 victory over the University of North Dakota in the NCAA title game and was named to the Frozen Four All-Tournament Team ...Totaled 45 points (17-28) and earned the Barry Sharp Memorial Award as Denver's top freshman player ... Played two seasons (2002-04) with the River City Lancers of the United States Hockey League ... Led the Lancers and finished second in the USHL with 77 points (30-47) during the 2003-04 campaign ... Named River City's MVP and earned All-USHL First Team honors ... Totaled 30 points (10-20) during the 2002-03 season.

PERSONAL: Selected by the Colorado Avalanche in the second round (44th overall) of the 2005 NHL Entry Draft . Father, Peter, is a member of the Hockey Hall of Fame and spent 16 years in the NHL with stops in Quebec, New Jersey and St. Louis. Born in 1985, in Quebec City, Quebec.

Todd Lodwick Sport: Nordic Combined Height: 5'11" Current Residence: Steamboat Springs, Colo.

Olympic Experience: 2010 Olympic Winter Games, silver medal in men's team, 4th in men's individual normal hill, 13th in men's individual large hill 2006 Olympic Winter Games, 7th in men's team, 8th in men's individual, 9th in men's sprint 2002 Olympic Winter Games, 4th in men's team, 5th in men's sprint, 7th in men's individual 1998 Olympic Winter Games, 10th in men's team, 20th in men's individual 1994 Olympic Winter Games, 7th in men's team, 13th in men's individual

Career Highlights: 29-time World Cup medalist (six gold, 10 silver, 13 bronze) 11-time U.S. nordic combined champion Five-time U.S. ski jumping large hill champion Three-time U.S. ski jumping normal hill champion 2013, World Championships team event bronze medalist 2009, World Championships mass start gold medalist 2009, World Championships Gundersen normal hill gold medalist

Fun Facts: Enjoys golfing, hunting and fishing.... Father of two children.... Partners with American 300 Foundation.

Taylor Fletcher Sport: Nordic Combined Height: 6'0" Current Residence: Steamboat Springs, CO College: Westminster College

Olympic Experience: 2010 Olympic Winter Games, 11th in men's large hill team ski jumping, 45th in men's individual 10km large hill

Career Highlights: Nine-time Continental Cup medalist (two gold, three silver, four bronze) 2013, World Championships team event bronze medalist (w/ Billy Demong, Bryan Fletcher, Todd Lodwick) 2013, World Championships team sprint sixth place (w/ Demong) 2013, World Cup at Seefeld, Austria Gundersen normal hill bronze medalist 2013, World Cup at Schonach, Germany 4x5k relay bronze medalist 2012, World Cup at Ramsau, Austria Gundersen start normal hill 10th place 2011, World Championships Gundersen start normal hill 26th place 2011, World Championships Gundersen start large hill 35th place

Fun Facts: Enjoys golf, soccer and tennis.... Cycles with nordic teammates in the summer.... Older brother, Bryan, is also a national team member.

Bryan Fletcher Sport: Nordic Combined Height: 5'9" Current Residence: Steamboat Springs, Colo. College: Westminster College

Career Highlights: 2013, World Championships team event bronze medalist 2013, World Cup at Schonach, Germany 4x5k relay bronze medalist 2012, World Cup at Oslo, Norway Gundersen large hill gold medalist 2012, World Cup at Liberec, Czech Republic Gundersen normal hill fourth place 2010, Continental Cup at Kuusamo, Finland Gundersen fourth place 2008, Continental Cup at Vancouver, Canada Gundersen fourth place 2008, Continental Cup at Park City, Utah Gundersen bronze medalist

Fun Facts: Enjoys quality time with friends by spending time outdoors camping, kayaking and road biking.... Is a cancer survivor.... Father is part of the Steamboat ski patrol.... Brother is Olympian Taylor Fletcher.

Continue to meet more of the twenty Coloradans in the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics. Arielle Gold Sport: Snowboarding Discipline: Halfpipe Height: 5'4" Current Residence: Steamboat Springs, Colo.

Career Highlights: Two World Cup starts and two top ten finishes 2012, World Junior Championships, gold medalist 2012, Burton U.S. Open, 4th place 2012, Youth Olympic Games silver medalist 2012, Youth Olympic Games, silver medalist 2011, U.S. Revolution Tour silver medalist

Fun Facts: Owns two horses named Sparky and Bugs.... Loves playing soccer and hanging out with friends.... First learned to ski at age 3.

Taylor Gold

Residence: Steamboat Springs, CO Sport: Halfpipe

Justin Reiter Sport: Snowboarding Discipline: Alpine Height: 5-11 Current Residence: Steamboat Springs, Colo. College: Colorado Mountain College

Career Highlights: 2013 World Championships, silver (parallel slalom), 11th (parallel giant slalom) 2012-13 World Cup Moscow, 4th (parallel slalom) 2012-13 World Cup Bad Gastein, 4th (parallel slalom) 2008 World Cup Valmalenco, bronze (parallel giant slalom) 2007 World Championships, 11th (parallel giant slalom), 13th (parallel slalom) 2006 U.S. National Championships, 1st (parallel slalom, parallel giant slalom) Eight-time North American Cup champion (2006-13)

Fun Facts: Learned to ski at 18 months old.... Retired after 2009-10 season and worked as regional sales manager at a golf club, and became certified as a muscle activation techniques (MAT) specialist.... Enjoys "freeriding," without clocks, coaches or competitions.... Hobbies include mountain and road biking, golfing, listening to music, reading, music, working out and practicing yoga.... Plans to pursue a career that is eco-friendly, creative and unique upon retiring from snowboarding.

Mikaela Shiffrin Sport: Alpine Skiing Discipline: Slalom, Giant Slalom, Super Combined Height: 5'7" Current Residence: Eagle-Vail, CO

Career Highlights: • Eight-time World Cup slalom medalist (four gold, four bronze) • 2013, U.S. giant slalom silver medalist • 2013, World Cup slalom overall champion • 2013, World Championships slalom gold medalist • 2013, World Championships giant slalom sixth place • 2012, World Cup Rookie of the Year • 2012, World Cup slalom, 17th overall • 2012, U.S. slalom champion • 2011, U.S. slalom champion • 2011, NorAm slalom champion

Fun Facts: Enjoys playing tennis and soccer.... Made World Cup debut at age 15.... Began skiing down her family driveway.... First non-European to win four World Cup slalom races in a season.

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More from our Sports archive circa January 7: "Photos: Lindsey Vonn announces she won't compete in Olympics."