Sport: Cross-Country Skiing
Age: 33
Hometown: Canmore, Alta.
Accomplishments:
- 2010 Olympics 5th-place finish in 30km Skiathlon.
- 2013 World Championship 4th-place finish in 15km Free.
Interesting Fact: In his native Russia, Ivan Babikov was told that he was too small to be an elite cross-country skier. He began competing internationally for Canada in 2008 to prove his critics wrong.
Chances: Cross-country skiing is not a sport in which Canadians have a strong past. But the men’s team had unprecedented results in Vancouver 2010 and the team as a whole looks to be on the upswing. Babikov is not a medal favourite but could be a contender in a couple of events, such as the 15km Free.
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