What will we remember from the Sochi Olympics?

My photo of Denis Ten at the 2013 World Figure Skating Championships. He will compete in Sochi.

As the world gets set to turn its eyes to Russia, there are several question marks surrounding these Games.

Will they be safe?

Will they be free from cheating and corruption?

Will police crack down on equal rights protests?

Will the infrastructure hold up?

There is so much to take attention away from the athletes at these Games.

Let’s put the focus back on the athletes. I have been lucky enough to cover two Olympic Games and both times I was blown away by the beauty of sport at the highest level.

There is such artistry in elite athletics. Even if you’re not a sports fan, there is much to admire.

I can’t wait to watch Denis Ten of Kazakhstan, seen above, perform in figure skating. He was the star of the World Figure Skating  Championships in London last March.

He won silver behind Canada’s Patrick Chan, but his performance was so superlative, a petition was started after the championship to try to get him the gold. Chan fell apart in the long program and many felt Ten should have been the winner.

Chan’s short program points kept him on top even after a terrible long skate.

What I remember about Chan’s short was not what it looked like, but what it sounded like.

An arena full of fans were stone silent when he was performing and his edges were so crisp, you could hear them chisel the ice. Like a bow across violin strings, Chan actually made the sound of the sport as delightful as the sight. It was a sound experience not to be forgotten.

What sports are you planning to watch?

I’ve always loved short-track speed skating, but when covering it at the Turin Olympics, I found it to be completely mesmerizing.

Apolo Anton Ohno, the most decorated American athlete at the Winter Games, was breathtaking to behold. He has retired, but there are many excellent speedskaters to watch, including Canadian Charles Hamelin.

Are you excited about the start of the Olympics?