Canada’s top 10 medal hopefuls for the 2012 London Olympics

Let the process of counting our medals before the Games begin ... begin.

With 100 days to go before the London Olympics, it's a good time to look at Canada's strongest medal shots. The country's record 15-gold haul during the 2010 snow-and-ice iteration of the Games (well, sort of, since it was in Vancouver) has probably conditioned many Canadians to expect more out of their summer Olympians. Canada's The Podium program has set a 'top 12 in 2012' goal, which depending on one's interpretation means either about seven gold medals or a total of 20.

It's ambitious but doable. Using data from Infostada , USA Today's latest projections pegs Canada at 11th in the total-medal table with 20. But it sees the country capturing just five golds in London, which would be good for 17th.

At least there's a broad idea of what range the country's performers fall in as a whole. Here's a look at Canada's most likely medal winners. It's a list of faces both fresh and familiar.

Mary Spencer, boxing — The pugilist is all about smacking stereotypes with a lethal combination of jabs and uppercuts. Twenty years ago, could you imagined a female boxer appearing in a campaign for CoverGirl? Many would focus on the idea of Spencer, a three-time world champion, being one of the first gold medalists in women's boxing, which is debuting in London. The 27-year-old Ojibwe who grew up in Cape Croker (Ont.) First Nation and has strove to improve the health and fitness of aboriginal youth could further make Olympic history by becoming the first North American aboriginal woman to win an Olympic gold. She could also be just the fourth overall.

Spencer will be in tough to win gold in London. She lost her most recent match to American Claressa Shields and will also have competition from China's Li Jinzi.

Adam van Koeverden, kayak — The two-time medalist could be the closest thing Canada has to a mortal lock for a medal. The only question for van Koeverden is whether he gets a gold in the men's K-1 1,000 metres to go with the one he won eight years ago in Athens (at the shorter 500 m distance) or silver to go with his medal from Beijing. The 32-year-old comes in as world champion in the K-1 1,000.

The Oakville, Ont.'s main competition seems to be Germany's Max Hoff, a four-time world champion. What wins out: van Koeverden's speed or Hoff's endurance?

Catharine Pendrel, cycling — Saying Pendrel, who grew up on a horse farm in New Brunswick, is a thoroughbred on two wheels might even break the Olympic Broadcaster Schmaltz Meter (TM). It feels right, though.

Infostada has Pendrel pegged to win the women's mountain bike race. In 2011, the Kamloops-based racer became the first Canadian woman since Alison Sydor to win a world title and she's the overall World Cup leader early on in this season.

Tara Whitten, cycling — Canada's much-improved cycling program could have medals in both omnium events with Whitten in the women's race and Zach Bell on the men's side. Whitten, a converted cross-country skier who only seriously took up cycling in 2008, has won two of the three world championships since the women's omnium was added to the track cycling worlds. The gold might be hers to lose.

Bell is a medal favourite in the men's race. The Own The Podium program believes Canada has 10 medal possibilities in cycling. Realistically, 3-4 medals should come out of that.

Ryan Cochrane, swimming — The pride of the Victoria Vikes university swim program got some of Canada's pride in the pool back when he won the men's 1,500-metre freestyle bronze in Beijing. That erased memories of the country cratering in 2004 when only three Canuck swimmers made finals.

Canada has turned a corner in swimming in the past few years and expects three medals in London. The 1,500 might be a two-horse race between Cochrane and China's Sun Yang, the world record. Cochrane also swims the 400 free, although a medal for him there is more of a long shot.

Brent Hayden, swimming — This is the third-time Olympian's best and last shot to avoid the label of being the Canadian athlete who has success at the worlds but not in the Games. Hayden, whose medal chances in Beijing were sunk by injuries, has the body of work that suggests he's good enough to win the men's 100 freestyle, one of the glamour races in the pool. He won a silver in the 2011 world aquatic championships, but Hayden's times for much of this year have been relatively sluggish. But it's about peaking for one race on one day.

Meaghan Benfeito and Roseline Filion, diving — Separately, neither might medal in the 10-metre platform, but together they are dynamite. Benfeito and Filion broke in with a seventh-place finish in women's 10-metre synchro in Beijing four years ago. The two Quebecers have been steady as rent lately, medalling in their past three FINA World Series events.

Jennifer Abel is also a projected medallist in both the 3-metre springboard and in the 3-metre springboard syncho with Émilie Heymans.

Dylan Armstrong, shot put — He's the Commonwealth and Pan Am champion and took silver at last summer's IAAF world championships, so yes, the Kamloops, B.C., native has a shot at hitting the podium in London. Armstrong has been bothered by an arm injury. Provided he's ready, he's got the body of the work that suggests he will medal.

Tonya Verbeek, wrestling — The 34-year-old grappler has the misfortune and privilege to be in the 55-kilogram class with Japan's Saori Yoshida, who's kind of an irresistible force and an immovable object wrapped up into one. Verbeek's experience at the Games, with medals in Athens and Beijing, and Canada's overall strength in women's wrestling makes it impossible to think she won't become a three-time medalist even if the gold is elusive.

Canada is a medal threat in all four women's weight classes. (Far be it to wonder why the IOC makes several weight classes in women's boxing and wrestling disappear every four years.) Three-time world champion Martine Dugrenier, whose 67 kg class isn't included in the Games, dropped down and beat out Justine Bouchard at 63 kg last fall.

Rowing — Canada should also expect at least three medals in rowing. The men's eight is defending Olympic champion. The women's eight and the Lindsay Jennerich-Patricia Obee lightweight double sculls team each won silver at last year's world championships.

Obviously, there will be others, particularly the emerging Rosie MacLennan and three-time medalist Karen Cockburn in women's trampoline. There will be surprises and stunners once the events are actually contested. After all, the margin of victory is so small in many events.

These Games will also be full of sentiment. It's likely a valedictory for decorated Canadians such as hard-luck hurdler Perdita Felicien, speed skater/cyclist Clara Hughes, competing for one last time at age 39 and two-time triathlon medalist Simon Whitfield. They might not medal, but the nation will get a chance to say thanks to them, again.

Neate Sager is a writer for Yahoo! Canada Sports. Contact him at neatesager@yahoo.ca and follow him on Twitter @neatebuzzthenet.