The Winter Olympics truly went global on Saturday when a Brazilian won the men's alpine skiing giant slalom - and a 17-year-old finished 60th for Thailand. Lucas Pinheiro Braathen, who used to compete for Norway before switching to his mother's nation,

Of the 122 current National Olympic Committees (NOCs) that have ever sent athletes to the Winter Olympic Games, 92 are competing in Milan Cortina. The bid to win a medal is more elusive for some than others.

The Winter Olympics promise plenty of high adrenaline, fierce competition, historic firsts and emotional moments over 2 1/2 weeks. Here are some of the names and narratives to keep an eye on.