The last time the Winter Olympics were held in Canada, in Calgary in 1988, the memorable stars included a self-funded, short-sighted British ski jumper who finished in last place, and a quartet of lovable Jamaican bobsledders who crashed their sled.

Eddie ``The Eagle'' Edwards, a plasterer who wore foggy goggles throughout the Games, became such a crowd favorite that when he was alluded to in a closing ceremonies speech by a dignitary, the audience began chanting, ``Eddie! Eddie!'' The Jamaican bobsledders wound up being the inspiration for the movie,Cool Runnings. So, who will emerge as the non-American Olympic starsthis time? Will it be one of these 10 accomplished athletes listed below, or will it be some quirky unknown? Time will tell.

Patrick Chan, Canada, Figure Skating

A Canadian man has never won a gold medal in figure skating, and Chan is determined to be the first. Brian Orser came close, taking silver in 1984 and 1988, when his rivalry with gold medalist Brian Boitano was billed as ``The Battle of the Brians.'' Chan, of Chinese heritage, turned 19 on Dec. 31. He won a silver medal at the 2009 World Championships, won the Four Continents championship, and his Phantom of the Opera free program is sure to thrill skating fans.

Chan trained in Delaware and West Palm Beach but recently split with his coach Don Laws, who led Scott Hamilton to gold in 1984. Chan's biggest competition is expected to come from American Evan Lysacek, Russian Yevgeny Plushenko and Frenchman Brian Joubert.

Petter Northug, Norway, Cross-Country

This 23-year-old Norwegian cross-country skier is being called ``The New Bjorn Daehlie,'' which is like calling an American basketball player the new Michael Jordan. Daehlie is the undisputed Norwegian legend of all legends, so to be mentioned in the same breath is quite the compliment.

Northug won three golds at the 2009 World Championships and could be in position to win four medals in Vancouver. The nation is expecting big things from him, and the pressure is particularly intense because Norway's cross-country team underperformed at the 2006 Olympics in Turin, finishing fourth.

During the offseason, Northug plays soccer for a fifth-division team called Mosvik IL.

Kim Yu-Na, South Korea, Figure Skating

A new ice princess is crowned every four years, and this time for the first time in Olympic history, she could be from South Korea. Kim Yu-Na, 19, is the reigning world champion and the favorite to win gold in Vancouver.

She moved to Canada to train four years ago, and her coach is none other than Brian Orser, the former Canadian great who won silver medals at the 1984 and 1988 Olympics. Like Orser, whose rival, American Brian Boitano, came from a neighboring bigger country, Kim's stiffest competition is expected to come from 2008 world champion Mao Asada and 2007 world champion Miki Ando -- both of Japan. Yu-Na also works with former Canadian Olympian Tracy Wilson.

David Murdoch, Great Britian, Curling

Other than hockey, there is no bigger Olympic sport in Canada than curling, which means David Murdoch is already a household name there. Murdoch is the Scottish skip of Great Britain's curling team and is considered the top athlete in the sport.

He is a two-time world champion (2006, 2009) and was the gold-medal favorite four years ago in Turin, but his team lost the bronze medal match to the United States, a shocking result that Murdoch is eager to avenge.

Murdoch, 31, has been curling for 20 years and lives in Lockerbie.

Sidney Crosby, Canada

It remains to be seen who will win the Olympic men's hockey gold medal, but one thing is certain: There is nobody under more pressure than Sidney Crosby, the Canadian hockey star who is expected by his hockey-crazed nation to do whatever it takes to win. The pressure is especially intense after Canada finished seventh at the 2006 Olympics.

Crosby, the 22-year-old Penguins captain, was not on that team. He shrugged off the pressure to win.

``It's an exciting time, and certainly there is pressure, but that's something you deal with in those situations,'' he said. ``It's also why you love to play those games, and it's a challenge you look forward to. There's no doubt people have high expectations in Canada, but it's always been that way.''

Ophelie David, France, Ski Cross

Aiming to attract a younger crowd, the International Olympic Committee added Ski Cross to the Vancouver menu. Skiers race in fours, shoulder-to-shoulder down twisty, bumpy tracks. Ophelie David of France, 33, is the reigning World Cup champion and a pioneer in the extreme sport.

``When I started Ski Cross, it was really underground, so this is a nice surprise,'' David told Reuters about the inclusion of her sport in the Olympics. ``I didn't say to myself `at last', but rather `wow, amazing.' Since we've got the Olympic tag, the way people look at us has changed. We look more serious now, and we see the media coming. A lot of spectators will discover our sport at the Games, and this is a great opportunity. We must live up to it by putting up a good show.''

Teemu Selanne, Finland, Hockey

He's baaaaack! If it seems Finnish hockey star Teemu Selanne has been around forever, it's because he has. The forward will be playing in his fifth Olympics. Finland won the silver medal four years ago in Turin, and twice Selanne has been the top scorer at the Olympics. He won a Stanley Cup with Anaheim in 2007.

Alexander Ovechkin, Russia, Hockey

Be prepared to see a lot of Alexander Ovechkin, the colorful Washington Capitals captain. Last year, he signed a 13-year, $124 million deal, the most lucrative contract in NHL history. Now, he wants to add Olympic gold to his résumé.

The left wing was the No. 1 pick of the 2004 NHL Draft, and in 2007-08 he led the league with 65 goals and 112 points. In February 2009, he scored his 200th goal, the fourth player in history to do that in four years, joining Wayne Gretzky, Mike Bossy and Mario Lemieux.

Ovechkin's father, Mikhail, played professional soccer, and his mother, Tatyana, won two Olympic gold medals in basketball in 1976 and 1980. He is known for his post-goal celebrations.

Bob de Jong, Netherlands, Speedskating

Dutch speedskating fans will get to cheer for veteran de Jong again, as the distance skater qualified for his fourth Olympics. De Jong, 33, will compete in the 5,000 and 10,000, the event in which he won gold in 2006.

Ivica Kostelic, Croatia, Alpine Skiing

Ivica Kostelic's sister, Janica, the three-time gold medalist at the Salt Lake City Olympics, has retired and opened a beauty shop near Zagreb. It is now up to Ivica to carry the family's and country's flag into the Olympics.

Kostelic, 30, won a silver in the combined event at the 2006 Olympics and could compete for multiple medals on Whistler's slopes. He finished fourth in the World Cup standings last season. A December knee injury kept him from training for a few weeks, but he was back on skis by the new year.