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Larisa Yurkiw believed she should compete with the best in the world in the Olympics, and shell get that chance Wednesday in the womens downhill at Rosa Khutor. When the best Canadian womens speed racers from the 2010 Winter Olympics soon retired and Yurkiw endured injury woes with after effects that extended into years, official Alpine Canada funding dried up. The dollars were targeted at the emerging women on the team, all technical specialists. Yurkiw poured tens of thousands of her own dollars into a bid to make the Sochi Olympics, and raised more than six figures from private individuals and businesses to back her quest. Racing as an independent under coach Kurt Mayr, Yurkiw earned Tier 1 qualification for Sochi with a pair of top 12 results this season, a seventh-place finish in the season-opening downhill in Lake Louise, Alta., and a sixth place at Altenmarkt, Austria last month. The Owen Sound, Ont., native was aiming to compete at the Vancouver Games but tore up her left knee in a crash in December 2009. Yurkiw didnt participate in a full season again until 2012-13, but didnt crack the top 20 in any races, which put her at a career crossroads at just 25 years of age. In what seemed like another cruel blow after all her hard work, Yurkiw went down in a training run in Sochi last week. But she recovered to post the ninth fastest time in the last training session. The contenders There wont be a repeat Olympic downhill champion as American ski star Lindsey Vonn of the United States underwent knee surgery, but 2010 silver medallist Julia Mancuso and bronze recipient Liz Goergl are competing in Russia. Both are capable of getting back to the podium. Mancuso hasnt enjoyed great World Cup results this season, but now owns four career Olympic medals after earning a bronze in Mondays super-combined. The Hawaiian resident did so on the strength of a downhill that was nearly a half-second faster than the next best skier, Lara Gut of Switzerland. Goergls two World Cup wins this season (one downhill, one super-G) have come in the last month, while Gut, Marianne Kaufmann-Abderhalden of Austria and Slovenias Tina Maze also own downhill wins this season. Maria Hoefl-Riesch, with three, is the only skier with multiple downhill wins this season. The German veteran would have to be considered co-favourite along with Mancuso for the downhill, after winning her third career Olympic gold medal in Mondays super-combined. She is also the overall World Cup points leader. Dominique Gisin of Switzerland hasnt been on the World Cup podium since late 2011, but served notice she could be a factor with a winning training session earlier this week. Anna Wenninger of Austria and Elena Fanchin of Italy are also contender, each having been on the World Cup podium twice in downhill this season, though not yet in the top spot. Tina Weirather under normal circumstances would be considered a strong medal contender after racking up nine World Cup podiums this season, including four in the downhill. But the skier from tiny Liechtenstein, who suffered a serious injury that put her on the sidelines just days before the 2010 Olympics, is uncertain to compete after hurting her leg in a weekend training session. Nike Sb Dunk Pas Cher . When a game is in the balance, however, they still have the personnel and the experience to end up with the two points. Vente Nike Air Force 1 . -- Once again, Carlos Santana was a huge hit in Kansas City. http://www.airforce1belgique.com/ . -- Jonathan Vilmas season is over and his future on the football field is in doubt. Nike Ispa React WR Pas Cher . With the suspension, Nigeria is unable to take part in any kind of international fixtures. FIFA had issued a warning to the NFF last week after the federation was served with court proceedings from the government that prevented the NFFs president from running the NFFs day-to-day affairs. Air Force 1 Homme Pas Cher . The top-ranked Williams carried her winning momentum from 2013 into the new season, beating No. 2-ranked Victoria Azarenka 6-4, 7-5 on Saturday to defend her title at the Brisbane International and set the tone for the Australian Open.LeBron James has made his decision and its the Cleveland Cavaliers. There wouldnt have been a lot of sentimental value or intrigue if James decided to stay in South Beach as Chris Bosh and Dwyane Wade would have likely joined him (again), making the Heat the favourites (again) to dominate the NBAs Eastern Conference. Rejoining the Cavaliers, on the other hand, not only sees James back in his first NBA colours, but allows for a rarity in sports - a star athlete returning to his first team in the prime of his career. James spent the first seven years of his career with the Cavs, appearing in the post-season five times and making the Finals in 2007. He also won back-to-back MVP awards in 2009 and 2010. And now hes even better. With LeBrons return to Cleveland, he brings hope and excitement to a deflated sports city that once loved him before they despised him. Thats a lot of power to have. But how about other stars whove returned to the place where it all started - and how did it fare for them? Over the last 30 years, there have certainly been some notable examples. In basketball, Canadas own Steve Nash played two relatively quiet seasons with the Phoenix Suns after the club drafted him 15th overall in 1996. Nash would then go on to make a name for himself with the Dallas Mavericks from 1998 to 2004. He made his return to Phoenix as a 30-year-old and would go on to lead one of the most exciting, high tempo teams in NBA history. Nash then won the Most Valuable Player award in 2005 and 2006. Another point guard, Jason Kidd, started his career in Dallas before spending time with the Suns and Nets, leading the latter to the NBA Finals. Kidd found himself back in Big D in 2008 and just three seasons later, helped the Mavericks defeat the LeBron-led Heat for their first championship in franchise history. At the other end of the spectrum, Allen Iverson played a decade with the Philadelphia 76ers before being traded to the Denver Nuggets in 2006. Iverson returned to the City of Brotherly Love in 2009, playing only 25 games for a bad 76ers team. He was understandably a shadow of his former self, but the fans loved the short reunion even though it didnt bring any success. Major League Baseball has a few success stories. Base-stealiing magician Rickey Henderson played the first six years of his career with the Oakland Athletics - a flashy speed demon who could also hit for average.dddddddddddd After joining the New York Yankees for four seasons, Henderson was traded back to Oakland in 1989. He helped lead the As to their first World Series championship since 1974, hitting over .400 in the playoffs with 11 stolen bases. Andy Pettitte was a key part of the New York Yankees dynasty in the 1990s, winning four championships over his first eight years in pinstripes. He joined the Houston Astros for three seasons from 2004 to 2006 and returned to the Big Apple in 2007. A 37-year-old was an integral part of the Yankees pitching staff during their championship season in 2009, winning two games in the World Series against the Philadelphia Phillies - including the clincher on three days rest. In hockey, Trevor Linden got his start with the Vancouver Canucks from 1988 to 1998. He quickly became known as a gritty leader on and off the ice - who could also put up his share of goals. Linden was traded to the New York Islanders in 1998 and after a string of seasons on Long Island, in Montreal and with Washington, the Medicine Hat native returned to Vancouver and stayed there for the rest of his career. He is considered as one of the most beloved players in Canucks history. On the pitch, Ian Rush is known as one of the greatest footballers in Liverpools history. He spent seven years with the club from 1980 to 1987 - recording a total of 139 goals. He would go on to play one season with Juventus before returning to Anfield for eight more productive years. He remains the all-time leading goal scorer in club history with 346. Its not common for star athletes to make their return to their original team. And most of the time, the players best years are behind them and it becomes more of a happy reunion for the fans rather than a shot for glory. King James is in the prime of his career and could go down as the greatest basketball player in history. Heading to Cleveland is a risk, theres no doubt about that. But, winning there could certainly be more rewarding than winning anywhere else. Cleveland is now in the centre of the basketball universe. Its time to sit back and see how the next chapter of NBA history unfolds. ' ' '