By Louis Daignault

SPORTSNET.CA

OTTAWA -- Most Canadian athletes who will compete at this summer's Olympic Games didn't get involved in their sport for fame and fortune.

Over the next few weeks, there will be a blitz of stories in various media on our medal hopes in the more popular summer Olympic sports such as swimming, diving, show jumping, gymnastics and track and field. An Olympic gold medal for a Canadian in one of those sports could make them household names. But Canada could also win medals in sports such as trampoline, women's wrestling, BMX cycling and fencing.

Here are some of Canada's top medal contenders in what are considered lower-profile events in this country. However, just because they are lower profile, doesn't make them any easier. Sports such as judo, badminton and fencing attract athletes from nearly 100 countries in world championship competition, making long odds for a Canadian to emerge as a favourite in any one of these disciplines.

Karen Cockburn, Toronto, women's trampoline

Cockburn is vying to complete her Olympic medal set at the Beijing Games this summer. She bounced to bronze in 2000 where the sport made its official Games debut and she took silver in 2004 in Athens. If she does win gold in Beijing, it will cap a remarkable comeback from knee surgery this past November. Also watch for Cockburn's teammate Rosannagh MacLennan of Toronto -- who won a bronze medal at the world championships last year -- and World Cup medalist Jason Burnett of Toronto on the men's side.

Sam Cools, Airdrie, Alta., BMX cycling

In an attempt to draw younger audiences, the IOC added BMX (bicycle motor cross) cycling to this year's Olympic program. Like snowboard in the Winter Games, the entertainment meter should read high as competitors whip around an obstacle-filled dirt track. One of the best in the business is Cools in the women's event (Sam is short for Samantha). She is a multiple age group world champion, was fifth at the most recent world championships and was ranked No. 1 in the world at the end of last year. Watch for the eight-metre drop start which launches the race.

Tonya Verbeek, Beamsville, Ont., women's wrestling

Verbeek fought to a silver medal at the 2004 Olympics as women's wrestling made its official Olympic debut. She would love nothing more than to at least repeat that performance in Beijing after disappointing performances at the last two world championships. Canada was one of seven countries to qualify its four-wrestler lot for Beijing. The other Canadians are also medal hopefuls: Carol Huynh, Martine Dugrenier and Ohenewa Akuffo.

Sherraine Schalm, Brooks, Alta., fencing

While the other three events mentioned above are young members of the Olympic family, fencing is among the oldest sports at the Games. Canada has never won an Olympic medal in fencing, but that could change this year with epee specialist Sherraine Schalm. Making history is nothing new to Schalm. She captured Canada's first major medal in the sport with a bronze at the 2005 world championships and was the first non-European overall World Cup champion in 2006. Schalm isn't the only experienced swordsperson on the team. Jujie Luan of Edmonton, 49, was an Olympic champion in 1984 for China and 45-year-old Igor Tikhomirov of Toronto was a bronze medalist for the Soviet Union in the team epee in 1988.

Kara Grant, Stratford, P.E.I., modern pentathlon

Grant provided hope she could challenge for a medal in Beijing earlier this year when she became the first Canadian to step on the podium at a World Cup modern pentathlon meet by placing third in Mexico City. Modern pentathlon crowns the top athlete overall in a combo of five sports that don't relate to one another -- swimming, shooting, show jumping, fencing and running -- whose origins are believed to derive from the journey taken by a French cavalry messenger in the 19th century. Also watch for Monica Pinette of Vancouver who was 11th at the world championships this year. Both Pinette and Grant were on the 2004 Olympic team. They were the first Canadians to compete in the modern pentathlon at the Games.

Keith Morgan, Calgary, judo

A veteran of the judo wars, Morgan made a decision in 2005 that his bruised and battered body could withstand more punishment and ended a brief retirement. Now he is headed to his fourth consecutive Olympics. Who can blame him? Morgan has come so close to winning Olympic and world championship medals in his long career with numerous top-seven performances. However, this August, there's no turning back. "I have one last shot, one last attempt to do what I have dreamt since childhood, and that is to bring home an Olympic medal," Morgan wrote on his blog.