Career Highlights: Vlasov has established himself as the potential favorite for the gold medal as he followed up his first-place finish at the 2011 world championships by winning the European championships in March. Already qualified for his first Olympics, Vlasov keeps performing better year after year. He won a world junior title in 2010, then moved up to the senior level and won bronze medals at both the World Cup and European championships in 2011. Vlasov hasn’t finished lower than third in any event he’s entered since moving up to the senior level.