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. Lamar Jackson Ravens Jersey . 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. Mark Andrews Jersey . "Theyve been good against everybody," he said. Carlos Gomez launched a three-run homer and Matt Garza battled into the seventh inning for his first win in four starts to help the Brewers continue their mastery of the Rockies with a 7-4 victory Saturday. Orlando Brown Jr. Jersey .C. -- The Bobcats announced theyve signed centre Justin Hamilton to a 10-day contract. http://www.ravensrookiestore.com/Ravens-Orlando-Brown-Jr-Jersey/ . And follow TSN.ca right through Deadline Day for all the updates. Getting Creative The Pittsburgh Penguins will try their best to acquire Ryan Kesler from the Vancouver Canucks before the Trade Deadline.The Iona Gaels face a daunting task, as they hit the road to challenge the second-ranked Kansas Jayhawks tonight. Watch all the action unfold live on TSN2 at 8pm et/5pm pt. Iona is 1-1 on the young season, the team opening with a 73-69 loss at Cleveland State on Nov. 9, but bouncing back with a 76-55 home victory over Wofford a week later. The Gaels are preparing for the rigors of Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference play, which for them begins at home against Marist on Dec. 4. Kansas is undefeated after two games, with its initial win coming at home over ULM, 80-63, and its second in a marquee matchup in Chicago against Duke last Tuesday, 94-83. The Jayhawks, who moved into the second spot in this weeks AP poll, have won 64 consecutive home games against non-conference foes, and the team is gearing up for what should be another highly competitive slate of Big 12 Conference bouts. KU begins league play at Oklahoma on Jan. 8, 2014. This game marks only the fourth all-time meeting between Iona and Kansas, with the Jayhawks winning two of the first three, the most recent of which took place in Kansas City back in 1988. Its only been two games, one of which resulted in a loss, but Iona is already establishing itself as a team that can boast some pretty potent scorers. Sean Armand is averaging 18.5 ppg, David Laury 17.0 ppg and Isaiah Williams 13.5 ppg, helping the squad put up 72.5 ppg despite shooting just 41.3 percent from the field. The Gaels defensive effort has been decent, with foess generating just 64 ppg in hitting their shots a mere 38. Michael Crabtree Jersey. 9 percent of the time. Laury led the team in the first game with 19 points, while Armand was high man in the win over Wofford with 20. In that latter contest, Williams added 19 points, and Laury finished with 15 for a club that struggled in the first half (.290 FG percentage), but turned it on after intermission (.680). Williams and Armand combined for eight 3-pointers. The Gaels easily won the rebounding battle (37-24), and used a 15-7 edge in points from the foul line to put the game away. Kansas has no shortage of talented players who can all but take over a game at the drop of the hat. Most of the spotlight has been turned on freshman sensation Andrew Wiggins, and he hasnt disappointed as he currently leads the team in scoring at 19.0 ppg. Wiggins is coming off a 22-point effort in the win over Duke, and he was also one of the top rebounders as well with eight caroms. Perry Ellis (18.0 ppg) actually paced the Jayhawks in the statement victory, scoring 24 points while also grabbing nine boards, and both Wayne Selden, Jr. (11.5 ppg) and Frank Mason made significant contributions as well, netting 15 points apiece. Kansas made good on 56.1 percent of its field goal attempts, but allowed the Blue Devils to connect on 51.7 percent of their total shots. A 39-24 edge in rebounding, along with a 27-16 advantage in points from the foul line played an integral role in the outcome for coach Bill Selfs club. 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