Switzerland-based Faiz Basha found a lack of snow when he returned to Singapore for military service, so he needed to improvise.

Americans who top the podium at the Milan Cortina Games will be in line for a $37,500 bonus. Their competitors could collect as much as $800,000.

Competing for your country in the Olympics is arguably the highest honor an athlete can achieve. While participating in professional sports leagues is important, athletes often speak of representing their countries as an elevated experience compared to their everyday jobs.

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.

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.

Olympic athletes are not paid by the International Olympic Committee (IOC), but are instead paid by their respective countries. The IOC, instead, redistributes its funding to the development of sporting activity around the world, according to CNN.