The story of redemption is as old as sports itself. It’s always fascinating to see the enthralling rise, crushing fall, then the skyrocketing ascension of an athlete as they enter back into the other wordly status they once enjoyed. The one figure who may fit this description better than a spandex ski suit is none other than American Bode Miller, who’s considered a favorite.

It’s still way too early in the Sochi Olympics to predict how Miller’s long, winding journey will ultimately end considering he completely missed out on the men’s downhill to Austria’s Mattias Mayer. Given how well his practice runs went beforehand, it was actually a shock he didn’t win a medal in this event, but he still will compete in the super-G, slalom, giant slalom, and the super combined. You could say that Miller’s redemption actually came four years earlier in Vancouver, when he won three medals including a gold. At the time, he wasn’t that far removed from comments he made about skiing drunk and how too much emphasis was put on winning, but Miller knows that this is it for him. One final Olympics, then he’s done. It’s over.

At 36 years-old and coming off microfracture knee surgery that forced him to miss an entire season, Sochi presents an opportunity for Miller to round out his career and shape his legacy on the world’s grandest stage. He can do it by medaling in the remaining events, thus making the redemption whole and complete.

To learn more about the Olympic athletes and particularly the alpine ski team, check out the US ski team page. Here you can learn about the US ski team and its skiers like Bode Miller for instance. Recently married to Morgan Miller (a professional beach volleyball player), Bode lives in California with his family.