Mikaela Shiffrin stood at the top of the mountain, eyes closed, visualizing herself skiing the woman's slalom course perfectly...and won the gold medal.

Steve Holcomb, whose team won not one but two bronze medals, said he piloted his bobsled around all 19 curves of the track, over and over in his mind, preparing for the event.

Snowboarders, skiers, skaters, marksmen all use sports psychology in their training, knowing the games are as much mental as physical. They use their imaginations to visualize specific performances in detail, down to what they see, feel, hear, and smell. Visualization is a form of practice, and because they can do it quickly, easily, and frequently, it adds to their physical practice, which makes them all the more skilled and successful when it comes time to actually participate in the sport.