Apolo articles

[bubblebuttsbabe]

Um, there isn't a US JR Champs thread and since I got this because of Apolo, I'm just going to post it here. However, this is mostly about JR and some of the other JR hopefuls.

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SPEED ON ICE
Monday, November 10, 2008
By Mike Spencer
[e-mail] | 895-3541

J.R. Celski has a target on his back heading into the U.S. Short Track Speedskating Championships/World Team Trials that begin Friday at the Bay County Civic Arena.

Not only is the 18-year-old phenom from Federal Way, Wash., the defending men's champ, he's one of the nation's elite senior team members.

Last month, Celski was on the winning American 5,000 meter relay squad in World Cup II in Vancouver, British Columbia.

''It's been a good season so far and hopefully it will get better,'' said Celski, a fifth-year speedskater who earned his spot on the senior World Cup Team by placing third in the American Cup I event in Minneapolis, Minn., in September.

Celski, who swept all the events a year ago while winnning the U.S. Junior Championships in Bay City, is fourth in the 1,500 and 10th in the 1,000 afer two Senior World Cups.

''I like the 1,500 event more than the others,'' said Celski, whose personal bests are 2 minutes, 13.4 seconds in the 1,500, 1:25.4 in the 1,000 and 42.5 in the 500. ''I'm more of a distance skater and I just find it easier to race.

''I've still got work to do on the 500, but it's starting to come around.''

Celski is hoping to follow a path similar to America's most famous short track speedskater, Apolo Anton Ohno, who also grew up in Washington state.

Just like Ohno, an Olympic gold medalist, Celski was a natural on inline skates and switched to the ice.

''When Apolo made the transition to ice, I thought maybe I could do that, too,'' Celski said.

Since he stepped onto the short track, Celski has fared well. He's made three other junior world teams.

If he's one of the top three skaters at the end of Sunday, he'll be on his fourth junior team and headed to Sherbrooke, Quebec on Jan. 9-11.

Celski, who was too young to qualify for the 2006 Winter Olympic Games, expects some tough competition from California's Kyle Uyehara and Walt Rusk, who placed second and third in last year's Junior Championship, and South Carolina's Robert Lawrence and Midland's Barry Winslow, who were among the top five last year.

Also among the elite men are Simon Cho, 17, Laurel, Md., and Eddie Alvarez, Miami, Fla.

''Many of the skaters participating here will ultimately develop into world-class athletes and someday realize their own Olympic dreams,'' said Al Izykowski, Bay County Speedskating Club president and meet director.

Friday's competition will consist of 1,000-meter qualifying time trials that determine the fastest 16 men and women who will advance into the U.S. Junior Championships, which will have feature the 1,500 and 500 races Saturday and the 1,000 and Super 1,500 on Sunday.

''This is the only time in short track speed skating when skaters race against the clock and not against one another,'' Izykowski said.

''The time trials are important, but it's just for seeding in the top 16,'' said Celski, who recently moved to Salt Lake City, Utah to train with other U.S. Speedskating team members. ''But I'd love to win the title again because you get a chance to move on and skate in international competition.

''And some of those skaters have proven to best Olympic medal winners.''

Rusk, who trains with a private coach in Corona, Calif., and Winslow, who trains at the Olympic Training Center in Marquette, could be two of Celski's toughest challengers.

''Things have been going very good,'' said Rusk, who has recovered nicely from a chipped left ankle bone and the 26 stitches he got from a fall in the finals of the 500 at the American Cup. ''I'm looking for some good times.''

Rusk, who picked up some valuable international experience by making the Junior World team last year, is more of a sprinter.

''My favorite race is the 500,'' Rusk said. ''It's the most thrilling event that we do.

''It's a tough race, very fast and high energy and high adrenaline.''

Rusk's best time in the 500 is 43.3. He also done a 2:13 in the 1,500 and a 1:28.4 in the 1,000.

''It's very important for me to make this junior team,'' said Rusk, 19. ''It's my last year in juniors and it's another stepping stone to making the Olympic Team in 2010.

''But it won't be easy. There are a lot of tough competitors.''

Winslow, 18, missed a shot last year to make his first Junior team and is looking for redemption. He was third heading into the final two events and was disqualified in both.

''This is definitely one of the biggest meets of the year for me,'' said Winslow, who has been skating competitively since he was 8. ''I'd like to be one of the top guys going to the worlds, but the competition is ridiculous.

''It's like there's a large group of guys that are dead even.''

Winslow who was disqualified a year ago in the 1,000 and Super 1,500 said the difference between making or not making the world team is so slight.

''It's not just all the conditioning, it's using your head and smarts,'' Winslow said. ''And it's knowing when to set up paces and when to make a move.''

Winslow, second in the 1,000 meter time trial, is hoping to pull a fast one again.

''The trial is extremely important,'' said Winslow, who has a career best 1:28.7 in the 1,000, a 2:20.8 in the 1,500 and a 43.8 in the 500. ''You get half as many points in the trial that you do for a regular race.''

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I believe they forgot to add Junior to the first sentence - it makes all the difference.

GO JR!! (and to add to my bias - ALL THE OTHER SO CAL KIDS! ;D)

[A.O.Freak]

Yuki's Corner

Today's Topic: Safety Pads for Utah Oval
Written by: Yuki Ohno




Brand New Safety Pads installed in Utah's Olympic Oval made a historical achievement in US Short Track Skating! For us to meet right before the World Cup Short Track Salt Lake October 2008 couldn't have been better timing! It is the most updated and improved version of Short Track Safety Pads which reflects the top quality and highest safety standard set by ISU (International Skating Union). The efforts behind this project were initially spearheaded by Guy Thibault, USS (US Speed Skating) Short Track Director and Marc Norman, Utah Oval director supported by USS partnerships with USOC (US. Olympic Committee). The pad system is comprised of a front and back pad that all velcro together. The system also has a strapping system on the back of the pad that it can adjust the amount of movement the pads will allow. The pads themselves are 4' tall and have a combined 42" thickness. One combined pad (front and back together) weighs 200 lbs!

Idaho's Sewing for Sports is a padding manufacturer based in Grangeville, Idaho. We feel very lucky and fortunate for their efforts on this project. The accomplishment of such an investment is indeed historical and significant. Safety issues have been a key factor, and have come along way since 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City. I witnessed those facilities first hand, and they did not cover the entire wall. It had a 3 foot wide area of wall and indentations that were uncovered by pads, exposing extremely dangerous corners along the wall of the rink. As you may recall, there were crashes but fortunately no one was trapped at that corner during the Olympics. It was a grossly negligent oversight for the safety and protection of the Olympic athletes in the event of a fall. Calgary Oval had the movable safety pads long before 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City, however, the venue at Salt Lake City continued to use these unmovable pads which set on stationary hard back. I was in Vancouver BC for the recent World Cup 2008 and noticed that their movable pads did not seem quite the same as the ones in Utah. I am familiar with the implementation of Calgary's first padding system, but again, I believe that the Utah Oval's units are much higher in quality and will greatly improve the safety of our athletes.

-- Yuki Ohno

[aaosmts19]

While I wasn't there, I didn't realize that we went political with "Obama" pins....you think he's talking about the Baver pins?
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www.whistlerquestion.com/article/20081113/WHISTLER03/311139973/1030/whistler

OLYMPIC CONNECTIONS
Small investment, big payoff in 2010
Pre-Olympic, Paralympic events offer primer for what’s to come in 15 months
Scott Roberts Special to The Question
November 13, 2008
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Scott Roberts/Special to The Question

Short-track speed skaters jockey for position during last month's World Cup event in Vancouver.Whistler – Like many others, my 2010 experience is well underway. My wife Christine and I picked a few events and entered the lottery for the first round of ticket sales. With years of experience with the Weasel Workers and some flexibility from her employer, Christine is also on track to be in the midst of all the action at the Olympic and Paralympic alpine races.



We’re also taking advantage of pre-Olympic events to learn about some of the winter sports that we’re less familiar with, like short-track speed skating. Last month’s World Cup at the Pacific Coliseum turned out to be a great spectator event, and for only $20 a ticket, on the excitement for money scale, it was a 10.



Even before the skaters hit the first corner it was obvious that the passion of the fans was going to rival the action on the ice. Korean fans filled several sections of the stands. Loud and proud, they clearly knew the sport and their athletes.



Another section had speed skating fans from across the United States who had gathered as an Internet community before making a pilgrimage to Vancouver to see their superstar Apolo Anton Ohno. The U.S. fans, easily identifiable by all the speed skating and Obama pins they were wearing, were using their off ice time to scope out Vancouver for their return in 2010.

Having watched speed skating a couple of times on TV, it was an eye opener to see it live. The power, skill and reflexes demonstrated by the athletes were amazing. As the qualifying heats were run, the strategy of the racers became more obvious. In one final, the athlete in second made no effort to pass and take the lead. Instead, he moved within an inch right behind the leader and at the finish line reached out a skate and stole the gold.



The announcers, program guide and the scoreboard helped less initiated fans get up to speed. Did you know short track speed skates are off centred to the left, so boot doesn’t contact ice? Or that the coliseum has a new type of safety padding that replaces pads put over the hockey boards to protect racers who crash?



Between each race, it was fun to watch officials and volunteers at work. Keeping the tight corners in good shape was a huge focus for the ice crew. Track workers were constantly moving tiny pylons that define the racing area for each heat to get clean corners for the racers. The ice repair crew skate through the corners armed with buckets, pouring water on the new line. They were followed by workers with super-sized squeegees, ensuring a perfectly smooth surface.



This winter there are an incredible number of pre Olympic and Paralympic World Cup events in the works. Take advantage of the chance to see the world’s best athletes as they check out our venues. You’ll have an inexpensive outing and it will make your 2010 viewing, whether as a live spectator or on TV, a much better experience.

[skaterswaltz]

That's so cool! And it was musicalmom with the Obama pins -- go musicalmom!!

Nov 13, 2008 14:22:47 GMT -5 aaosmts19 said:

While I wasn't there, I didn't realize that we went political with "Obama" pins....you think he's talking about the Baver pins?
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www.whistlerquestion.com/article/20081113/WHISTLER03/311139973/1030/whistler

OLYMPIC CONNECTIONS
Another section had speed skating fans from across the United States who had gathered as an Internet community before making a pilgrimage to Vancouver to see their superstar Apolo Anton Ohno. The U.S. fans, easily identifiable by all the speed skating and Obama pins they were wearing, were using their off ice time to scope out Vancouver for their return in 2010.

[bubblebuttsbabe]

A tale of two skaters, and one coach
By Lei Lei (China Daily)
Updated: 2008-12-04 09:35
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On a wall in her house in Colorado, speed skating coach Li Yan has hung a photo of herself with former student Apolo Anton Ohno. Some 10,000km away in her Beijing home, on another wall hidden away from prying eyes, is one of her with Chinese women's No 1 Wang Meng.

For Li these photos, and the friendships they testify to, are worth their weight in Olympic gold - not to mention world championship titles and new world records. Under her tutelage, US skater Ohno swept the 500m gold medal at the 2006 Winter Olympics in Turin, while Wang rewrote history two months ago by clocking a new world record of 43.125 seconds at the same distance - a time she has since beaten twice.

Li, who was appointed just after the 2006 Games to lead China's skaters to greater heights at Vancouver 2010, said that building best friendships with her wards is an integral part of her - and their - success.

"I'm the best friend of all my skaters," the 40-year-old told China Daily last weekend at Beijing Capital Gymnasium during a World Cup stop. "I treasure all my coaching experiences."

Yet it was not easy for Li, a slim but energetic figure who was bubbling with excitement after seeing the men win their first medals of the season in Beijing, to tame the stars and show them what they were capable of. Ohno, in particular, was mistrustful of the Chinese coach and her methods despite coming from a mixed Asian-American background, while Wang constantly challenged her ideas at the outset.

"Ohno didn't know what I could bring to the team and there was also a language barrier to begin with," she said, recalling her move to head up the US national team in 2003. "We didn't know each other, but I opened my heart and did my best and we became firm friends.

"I believe my skaters can feel what I am trying to achieve as we all have the same goal, and it's fantastic to see them improve over time as they absorb what I'm saying."

Ohno became so enamored of Li that he rushed straight over to give her a hug after crossing the finish line in Turin to win Olympic gold.

"That hug is the biggest affirmation of my coaching success and it meant a lot," she said.

Ohno, who was also in Beijing on Sunday, told China Daily he had quickly dispelled his initial trepidation.

"She is great," he said. "There are many areas where she has helped me. It's hard to pick just one."

When Li was invited to pick up the reins back home in China more than two years ago, she soon butted heads with Wang, the most feisty and talented member of the national team, which was suffering a talent drought due to the retirement of several high-profile stars.

Wang told journalists at the 2007 Asian Winter Games that she wanted "to go back to the provincial team after the Games because the national team doesn't suit me." Further disparaging comments and complaints about her teammates' lack of cooperation saw her banned from competing in the World Championships two months later.

Luckily, Li had just the tonic to Wang's malady: some tender love and care.

"I've improve a lot (under her)," said Wang. "Li has not only given us new techniques, but has also helped us a lot in our daily lives."

With a newfound self-belief installed in her by the coach, Wang broke the women's 500m world record of 43.671 seconds held by Evgenia Radanova of Bulgaria at the season-opening World Cup stop in Salt Lake City in October. The record had stood for seven years.

After refreshing it twice more in Beijing last weekend to set a new mark of 42.609, her confidence now knows no bounds.

"Li told me I could go under 42.5 two years ago," she said. "I didn't believe her then, but I do now."

Life in the fast lane

Li blazed her own trail as a skater, winning the 1,000m at the Calgary Winter Olympics in 1988 when speed skating was just a demonstration sport and taking silver four years later in Albertville for China's first-ever Winter Olympic medal.

After retiring in 1995 she got a bachelor's degree in finance and economics then coached Slovakia's national team before heading to the US. China's State General Administration of Sport awarded her and six other retired skaters for their accomplishments last weekend.

"I feel as though my motherland has never forgotten me and my era," she said upon accepting the award from China's sports minister Liu Peng.

Extra ammo

With the 2010 Winter Games firmly in her sights, Li can count on 17-year-old Zhou Yang and Liu Qiuhong, 20, to bolster her arsenal as China again takes on the mighty South Korea for gold medals.

The men's team is also on the rise after ending its medal drought this season at the Beijing stop by winning three bronzes.

In the men's 500m, Wang Hongyang even edged Ohno out of the finals.

"I'm very glad to see my skaters are able to beat the Olympic champion," said Li.

"I've been confident of the team from the get go. Although I have no specific target for how many gold medals we can win in Vancouver, we will of course do our best."

And, with a touch of TLC, she hopes, that best will just keep on getting better.

PICTURE:

China's head coach Li Yan celebrates with one of her short track skaters, Zhou Yang, during a World Cup stop in Beijing on Sunday.

[aaosmts19]

In this thread, around 12/29/2007, we talked about Apolo's skates having been donated to the National Museum of History...these are the silver ones from the 2002 Olympics.

The National Museum had been closed due to renovations and they were on display in the Aerospace Museum. The national musuem of History is now reopened and the skates on display in their rightful place.

www.apoloantonohno.com

Gliding to Golden Victory

Apolo Anton Ohno, a short-track speed skater and winner of five Olympic medals, returns to the newly renovated National Museum of American History. Ohno wore these skates at the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City, Utah where he won Gold in the 1500-meter and Silver in 1000-meter competitions. At the 2006 Olympics held in Italy, Ohno again won Gold in the 500-meter and Bronze in both the 1000-meter and 5000-meter relays.


The ever-determined Ohno continues to skate toward further gold, currently training for the 2010 Vancouver Olympics.

Ohno's medal-winning skates are now display in the Popular Culture exhibit, proudly keeping company with other noteworthy acquisitions from fellow athletes and renowned entertainers. Come check out Dorothy's ruby slippers from The Wizard of Oz (the most popular object in the NMAH!), boxing gloves from Muhammad Ali, Joe Louis, and even Rocky, Celia Cruz's swinging dress and heels, and of course, everyone's amphibious favorite, Kermit the Frog.


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The pictures on his website have already been posted in this thread...again, in and around 12/29/2007.

[mtnme]

An oldie but a goodie............


'I Feel the Ice'

Apolo Anton Ohno uses meditation, imagery, and his love of the sport to lead the international pack of speed skaters.
BY: Tim Wendel

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------



"I'm going to show you body wisdom," the old man said. "Everything you'll ever need to know is within you; the secrets of the universe are imprinted on the cells of your body. But you haven't learned inner vision; you don't know how to read the body. Your only recourse has been to read books and listen to experts and hope they are right. When you learn body wisdom, you'll be a Teacher among teachers."

That scene occurs early on in Dan Millman's "Way of the Peaceful Warrior," a self-help book based on the story of the author and a man named Socrates, who becomes his mentor. A cult classic two decades ago, "Way of the Peaceful Warrior" is Apolo Anton Ohno's favorite book and goes a long way toward explaining his Olympic quest.
Entering this year's Winter Olympiad at Salt Lake City, Ohno ranks as one of the U.S.'s top medal candidates. He dominated last year's short-track speed skating season--the winner in the 500 meters, 1,000 meters, 1,500 meters, 3,000 meters and the overall championship. Ohno became enthralled with speed skating at the age of 12 when he saw the short-track finals from Lillehammer, Norway, site of the '94 Games. He promptly tore apart his in-line skates and tried to fit them with blades.

At the age of 14, his father, Yuki, shipped him off to train at Lake Placid, a training site for the U.S. short-track team. The move almost backfired as Ohno, a native of Seattle, felt homesick and "caged" by the small town atmosphere. But soon he began to pour his energy into learning to win at short track. It's a pell-mell event where competitors fly around the rink at 30 miles per hour in packs of five. Miss an edge or get nudged off-balance? Too bad, before you know it you'll be sliding into the sideboards. Your medal chances over.

When Ohno talks about his sport, one can hear echoes of Millman's body wisdom.

"I just feel the ice," Ohno says. "I can feel it under my feet. I can feel it under my toes. I feel every ripple in the ice and I feel that's something that contributes a lot to my success.


"It's a sport I love. I go out there every single day and there's not one day I don't want to be out there. I skate eight times a week."
Relatively new to the Olympics, short-track speedskating emphasizes strategy. The more traditional long track, in which American Eric Heiden won five gold medals in 1980, stresses speed and competing against the clock.

"I'm half-Japanese and my dad is pretty short; I'm pretty short," says Ohno, who is 5' 8 ", 165 pounds. "You look at long track, those guys are just enormous. I don't think it's so much about my build, it's more (that) I have the talent on the ice."

If Ohno brings home gold, he plans on giving his first medal to his father, Yuki Ohno, who runs a hair salon back in Seattle.

"He has been a tremendous influences in my life," Ohno once said in an on-line interview with the U.S. Speedskating Federation. "He's strict, but he's always there to support me. I think I get my work ethic from him."

Not that 19-year-old's emergence as a gold-medal contender has been without growing pains. Four years ago, before the Nagano Games, he failed to even make the U.S. team. Ohno blames a lousy attitude and being in poor shape. Since then he has changed his diet, training routine, and his mental preparation for competition. Not only has he embraced the ways of the peaceful warrior, he meditates regularly and employs mental imagery. A television in his apartment is often cued to a recent tape of a race or practice.

"Watching myself allows me to improve my performance a lot quicker," Ohno says. "Right now I have to work on my technique and improve my focus. I have to be more consistent with my arm swing. This is the hard part of short track--the constant focus on technique and mental attitude toward skating. It's what I live for."

[mtnme]

No Passing Zone


By Michele Deppe

Apolo Anton Ohno was America’s favorite son during the 2002 Winter Olympics at Salt Lake City. The 19-year-old short track speed skater from Seattle whooshed onto the ice, sporting a megawatt smile, a magnificent mane, and a hip soul patch. He rocked history with two amazing performances, bringing home some bling to complete his look: two medals, one gold and one silver. This year, fans hope that Apolo Ohno can do it all over again.




Few speed-skating fans are likely to forget “The Big Spill” at the 2002 Games. The mob of skaters was going for gold in the 1,000-meter, circling the ice on knife-thin blades at speeds of 40 miles per hour. Ohno was leading, despite having the flu. Coming into the last turn, both skaters on either side of U.S.A.’s Ohno suddenly tried to pass him. On the outside was China’s skater, arms flailing. On the inside was South Korea’s, desperately grasping for position, even though he didn’t have enough speed to make the pass.

China fell, and South Korea went down too, grabbing Ohno’s leg on the way and sending him sliding on his back like a hockey puck. Ohno finally stopped, whacking the wall with his head. The trio had collected most of the pack as they careened across the ice.

With the survival instinct of a cat, Ohno somehow found his skates, but gashed his thigh on one of his blades while getting up. Ignoring his bleeding wound, he sprinted toward the finish line and snagged the silver medal for the United States.

Four days later Ohno had six fresh stitches in his thigh and hobbled on crutches to the preliminary race for the 1,500 meters. Doing his best to generate speed but keep the stitches together, he managed to qualify for the 1,500-meter race.

Like the 1,000-meter event, danger and controversy ruled the 1,500-meter one. Ohno’s opponent from South Korea illegally blocked him on the final lap of the race, forcing Ohno to slow down and stay behind or risk another fall. The refs noted the South Korean’s cheating maneuver. He was disqualified. Ohno received the gold medal that he was entitled to as the fastest skater on the ice. Despite Ohno’s obvious speed and skill, some Koreans feel that Ohno personally robbed them of their victory.

Obviously, not everyone appreciates Ohno’s commitment to excellence. After receiving threats, Ohno and his team withdrew from a competition in Korea. However, Ohno chooses to ignore hatred from the opposition. He’s not about getting mad, or getting even; instead, he dedicates himself to getting better.

“I’ve really been focusing on getting ready for the 2006 Games in Italy,” Ohno says. Refusing to revel in past glory, he is all about now. Leaving his old routine behind, Ohno has embraced interval training, adding short bursts of heavy weight lifting into his cardiac routine, to gain more brute strength.

The 23-year-old is leaner than ever before, not at all resembling “Chunky,” his nickname from childhood. Ohno excelled in swimming and in-line skating before he took up short track for “something different.” At age 14 he left home to train at the U.S. Olympic Center in Lake Placid, New York. Leaving friends, family, and home was a painful experience, but by 16 he was the youngest ever, and the first American, to become the short track World Cup overall champion, a title he’s claimed two more times. In 2005 he collected 23 individual World Cup medals. He’s been the United States overall short-track champion seven times. Ohno’s father, Yuki, who came to America from Japan, was the first to give his son a title. In Greek “apo” means “steering away from” and “lo” means “look out,” which together means “look out; here he comes!”

After his triumphal, if controversial, Olympic success, Ohno experienced the kind of fame bestowed on winning Olympians. He did the morning news programs and the talk show circuit, chatting with the likes of Jay Leno and Rosie O’Donnell. Ohno was Elton John’s guest at an Oscar party, and he posed for pictures with famous faces such as Erika Christensen, Harrison Ford, and the Osbournes. Embarrassed by screaming girls, he performed a break dance on MTV’s TRL. He was named one of People magazine’s “50 Most Beautiful People.” All of the attention brought a barrage of sponsor offers and enticing opportunities, many of which Ohno has passed over because they weren’t “right.”

Dubbing him the “Commissioner of Cool,” the press tried to give Apolo Ohno a bad-boy image, but it hasn’t stuck. Simply, that isn’t his true character. Despite the media’s tendency to tint Ohno a nasty shade of brash, he maintains an astonishingly humble hue.
Ohno lives modestly at the Olympic training center, where he occupies a dormlike living space. Instead of cultivating his image and chasing cash, he’s committed to the real-life pursuits of training, learning, competing, and nurturing personal relationships.

“The best thing about being successful is that my dad is able to come to more competitions. He loves to travel, and I love having him there for support,” says Ohno, whose only extravagance—besides driving a decent car—has been to buy his dad a new home.

Ohno says, “I am enjoying life, and getting to know people. But, like, especially in dating, the person that I am in a relationship with has to understand that, right now, skating comes first. I’ve been lucky enough to have relationships with people who understand that, but it’s definitely a challenge.”

And, like everybody else, Ohno has other responsibilities besides working out. “There’s actually a requirement for Olympians to have a job, or maintain a 2.9 GPA in college,” says Ohno, who is studying for a business degree. “It’s a lot of work to travel, train up to three times a day, and make time for classes, too.”
It sounds kind of over the top, but Ohno’s attitude about life and sports can be described as noble. He’s grateful for every little thing. He gives 110 percent. He has turned down lots of lucrative offers because he wants to be careful about each decision that shapes his life, and he won’t sell his integrity. Mostly, he strives to be a good role model for kids.

“I hope to encourage kids to get into sports,” says Ohno, who has done antidrug commercials and was part of the VERB campaign. “I grew up in the city, in Seattle, and my dad saw potential in me to get into trouble with gangs and drugs. He helped me channel my energy into positive things. People need those kinds of healthy alternatives. I am a big believer in the strength of family, community, and trying to be a good person.”

Ohno has little respect for athletes who use performance-enhancing drugs. “I want to be my best naturally, and if I won a race because of drugs, there would be no gratification in it for me. I believe that you’ll improve, and get a lot more strength and skill from good training, than if you try to beat the system by taking something.
“I try to just be real, and I’ve been really blessed so far,” Ohno says. “So I just keep looking up and hope for the best.”

[number1fan]

ladies...WHOA! y'all have been busy contributing to this thread! thank you all sooo much

bbb...especially enjoyed reading your find (a tale of 2 skaters, one coach, Li Yan)

[gasp]

This is news out of St. Lou but is a rehash of the AAO story. However, Jordan Malone so cracks me up in this article, I just had to post it.

Apolo Ohno stays on top, favored at U.S. Short Track Championships
By Kathleen Nelson
ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH
Thursday, Dec. 18 2008
Apolo Anton Ohno’s achievements stand head and shoulders above those of any
other U.S. short track skater: nine national championships, five Olympic
medals, three overall world cup titles, one overall world championship. His
charisma, style — even his twinkle toes — have allowed him to transcend the
sport.

After a decade, he is the favorite to again repeat as champion and remains a
role model to his competitors at the U.S. Short Track Championships at the
Hardee’s Iceplex this weekend.

“This dude doesn’t ever fade,” rival Jordan Malone said. “He’s always on top.
It’s not if he comes down to your level. We’re always trying to get up to where
he is.”

Ohno has been hard to ignore since breaking onto the scene as a 14-year-old,
though some of his early publicity was far from flattering. His father, Yuki,
tried to focus on Apolo's talent, driving him to meets throughout the Pacific
Northwest. Yuki successfully begged to have his son admitted to the training
program, only to have Apolo skip the flight to Lake Placid and hang with
friends in Seattle. After winning the national title in 1997 and then finishing
16th at the 1998 Olympic Trials, Yuki took take the dramatic step of dumping
Apolo by himself at a cottage three hours from home to sort out his goals.

He emerged from the week with an epiphany, committed to skating. Rather than
shut away the dark days, he embraces them as part of the process.

"That's the beauty of social networking," he said. "I've been able to get in
touch with those people from junior high and high school. Now I laugh with them
and say, 'What the heck was I thinking? I can't believe I did that stuff.'"

Given his backstory, the U.S. public reveled in his silver and gold medals from
the 2002 Salt Lake Games, perhaps because the races involved the spills and
drama that make short track so unpredictable.

"I started because of '02 and this guy," said Malone, a former world in-line
skating champion. "To be able to train with him is spectacular. To see Tiger
Woods play is one thing. To train with him or compete against him is another."

Ohno earned three more medals in the 2006 Turin Games, including a gold in the
500 that he called "the perfect race," yet unsure whether to train for another
four years. Shortly thereafter, "Dancing With the Stars" courted him.

"When they first called, I said, 'There's no way.'" Ohno said. "It was after
Turin, and I wasn't sure I wanted to skate again. I thought about it and
realized it was a different kind of challenge, which was something I was
looking for."

He approached training with partner Julianne Hough as an athlete would: "We're
used to being coached, and we know how to compete." He and Hough won the
coveted mirror ball, which only increased his celebrity outside skating.

Shunning the celebrity glitz, he promptly returned to his day job and won his
first world overall championship in March.

"I don't know how you stay focused if you're Apolo," said Allison Baver, like
Ohno, a two-time Olympian. "All those medals, gosh."

One way to maintain focus is to pick his spots. Ohno hesitated when asked about
winning yet another U.S. title this weekend.

"My focus here is to skate hard and skate smart. That's more important than the
title," he said. "The worlds are my main focus this year."

His ultimate goal — at least for now — is to compete in the 2010 Vancouver
Games. Ohno is tied with Eric Heiden as the most decorated U.S. male
speedskater, with five medals. He needs one more to match Bonnie Blair's career
total.

"It's so close to my hometown," he said. "I started skating in Vancouver;
that's where I learned how to skate. I had my first Olympic experience in Salt
Lake City. Now I've moved back to Salt Lake City for training. Finishing the
games in Vancouver is like coming full-circle."

[bubblebuttsbabe]

Speed skater Ohno has high expectations
Posted 9h 49m ago

CHESTERFIELD, Mo. (AP) — At 26, short track speed skater Apolo Anton Ohno is a grizzled veteran in his sport.

But the five-time Olympic medalist isn't showing any signs of slowing down.

"I'm still blessed to have a gift to be able to skate fast and skate strong," Ohno said Wednesday before the start of the U.S. Short Track Championships, which is Thursday through Sunday at the Hardee's Iceplex in suburban St. Louis.

Ohno, a native of Seattle, has plenty of motivation to keep him going. The 2010 Winter Olympics are in Vancouver.

"That's so close to my hometown," said Ohno, who would not say whether 2010 would be his last Olympics.

The event here is the first step on a long road to the 2010 Winter Games. The top five finishers in each event at the U.S. Short Track Championships will qualify for the U.S. team that will skate in the 2009 World Cup matches and the 2009 World Championship.

Time trials are Thursday and Friday, with the men's and women's 1,500-meter event also on Friday. The 500-meter events are Saturday, and the 1,000- and 3,000-meter races are Sunday.

All of the country's top short track skaters are expected, including Jeffrey Simon, a silver medalist at the 2007 World Junior Championships, former national champion and Olympian Allison Baver, and former junior world champion Katherine Reutter, a native of Champaign, Ill., who said she is eager to skate in front of friends and family.

"The ice is very different from Salt Lake, but it's a very fine facility," she said. "I've trained in St. Louis a long time and I like this rink. I think the ice, come Friday, Saturday and Sunday, is going to be fast, and there will be good racing on it.

"I feel like I have an advantage. There's no place I'd reather be."

Ohno is eager to see what some of the younger racers can do.

"It's an honor for me to be on the ice and to have guys look up and say, 'I want to keep up with this guy,"' Ohno said. "Hopefully I can lead our young team in Vancouver to a lot of medals. That's my goal."

[tabatha]

Gasp you beat me to it, darn you. I seen that article heading over to one of my favorite sites www.stltoday.com to look down at the sports section (love St. Louis sports teams) and there it was.

[mtnme]

.
I was looking for something else and came across this. It's a VERY old article, but still an interesting read....
_____________________________________________________________________________________________


Ron C. Judd / Times staff columnist

Ohno has his groove back on short track
KEARNS, Utah — The fist speaks louder than words.

It's a cross between a right jab and a fly-fishing roll cast, and when Apolo Ohno unfurls it at the finish line, the fist says it all:

Yeah, baby. It's all still there — the blazing speed, the holy-cow turns, the wind through the helmet, the roar of another crowd. All bigger than life itself. All right where he left it across town a year ago.

Clear skies over Planet Apolo.

Finally. The fist had stayed in the garage for most of Friday and Saturday, when Ohno, in contention for the overall World Cup short-track speedskating title, was disqualified for blocking other skaters during the 500 and 1,500 meters at his only World Cup appearance of the season on home turf.

Both nights, a couple of thousand Utahns — and untold millions of teenage girls across the country — went to bed, as they might say, "majorly bummed." U.S. speedskating officials, who sold out the Olympic Oval for three days largely on the 20-year-old Seattle native's Olympic-sized personality, were squeamish.

Ohno, ever the statesman, held it together.

"This was a good day for me," he said in the bowels of the Oval after being tossed out of the 500 on Saturday. "I learned a lot today."

Such as?

Nobody knew. An agent in a black leather coat was tugging at his arm. A fresh flock of some 100 groupies was squealing, pens and digital cameras in hand, at the gates. Elvis was leaving the building.

A day later, when the start gun went off for the 1,000, we learned what he learned.

Ohno was faster, quicker, stronger — skating as he does when he's "on," with the peaceful purpose of a guy moving through 5 o'clock traffic in his own express lane.

He blitzed through the field in two qualifying heats, then lined up in the pressure-cooker finals next to Canada's Jeff Scholten, the lankier speedster who had kicked Ohno's highly regarded derriere on several occasions the previous day.

Before the night ended, he repeated the performance, winning the grueling, 37-lap 3,000 meters, then re-emerging to anchor the U.S. 5,000-meter relay team to a second-place finish against the powerhouse Canadians.

The difference?

"I made some adjustments," he said. Like applying less pressure to his skates on the Olympic Oval ice, which most skaters said failed to hold their skate edges coming out of turns.

Adjustments, for sure. But more so at the top of the Ohno unit than the bottom, U.S. Coach Steven Gough ventured.

"It was more mental," Gough said. "I talked to him about the first two days."

The message?

"Get ready to work."

During Ohno's first two World Cup races this season in Europe, everything went his way. His blades felt clean. The ice was sweet. Luck was in the air. He was the overall winner at each meet.

"He made it look almost easy," Gough said.

"Here, he had to really gut it out. He showed his mettle today."

And there you have it. Beneath the Tiger Beat face beats the heart of a leopard — a rare melding of grace and brawn in a sport even Gough describes as "NASCAR on ice."

Short track, lest you've forgotten in the year since the Salt Lake Winter Games, is chaos with sponsors. It's beautiful and ugly all at once, and surely is the only sport (outside hockey) in which the Zamboni driver is hastily summoned with these words: "There's a lot of blood over there in the left corner."

Skaters are held on their feet by the equivalent of a knife blade, riding ice that's about as consistently reliable as an Al Roker forecast. Race results are overturned, ex post facto, about half the time by referees.

Through this quagmire soars Ohno, short track's gold-medal Zen assassin, who might actually be nowhere near his physical prime.

"This is all part of a process for me," he said. "I take it year by year. I don't think I'm near my physical peak yet. My coaches tell me I could do at least two more Olympics."

"It entered my mind," he said, when pressed on the matter. "But as soon as I got back on the ice, it was like, 'This is what I want.' "

He's gone back to a decidedly low-profile lifestyle at the Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, which shields him, to some degree, from the virtual hero-worship he continues to encounter wherever he goes.

Given all that, skating, competing — and winning — have become something more important for Ohno than ever: A touchstone.

Compared to seven-figure endorsement contracts and competing fan Web sites, short track is fairly simple: Go fast, turn left. Repeat as necessary.

For now, that's the strategy. And it's working. With his only U.S. World Cup appearance of the year in the bank — and a second-place overall finish, behind Scholten, to show for it — Ohno remains in the hunt for the overall World Cup title. Next weekend's races in Quebec will decide it.

Given his two bad days here, he would need a near sweep of events to win it. But his final ranking, in the grand scheme of things, may be far less important than the fact that he's back in the groove he loves: training hard, living right and — always seemingly right on cue — turning on the public magic that makes Ohno one part skater, two parts amateur-athletics phenomenon.

Compared to the world's other top skaters, Ohno is disadvantaged by a small U.S. program, which provides him little chance to train with athletic peers. But Gough, himself an experienced Canadian racer, said Ohno is one of the few skaters in the history of the sport capable of winning any race, any distance, any day, on any ice.

Why?

"I'm just hungry," Ohno said, flipping back The Hair and flashing The Smile. "I'm always hungry. I wake up hungry!"

Then he gets serious.

Being back in the game — it's nice. Comforting. Solid. Real.

"I'm just doing what I know works best for me," Ohno said. "I'm hungry for knowledge about my sport. I'm hungry for knowledge about how to be a better skater. If you're not hungry, you might as well just hang 'em up."

The internal drive that keeps Apolo Ohno on the ice and out of Jackie Chan movies is no mystery.

"It's pure love of the sport."

And it shows.

Ron C. Judd: 206-464-8280 or [e-mail].

[mtnme]

This was posted on a fitness blog. Below is the link to read the whole article in its' entirety. (I posted an excerpt he wrote about Apolo)

www.trainerdirect.com/2009/01/spirituality-in-training/

I found the whole thing inspiring, as I have my own fitness goals I am commited to achieving this year. Right now, I have a picture of Dara Torrez in full swimsuit pinned on my bulletin board - a constant reminder that as women we can be strong and fit at any age. She's my hero! I wasn't born with the actual physical equipment she has, and no matter how hard I work out- I'll never get that physique. But I can vow to be the best and most fit 'me' I can be. I hope the following inspires you too.

_______________________________________________________________________________________________


When you’re on your way to the gym you need to remember and focus on how amazing you’re going to look. How beautiful you’re going to feel. How confident, how strong, how much endurance that you’re going to have. And this is of such utmost importance, because not only does it guide your decision making process, but it also creates an analgesic.

It creates a pain reliever.

When you’re clear, crystal clear in your mind about what you want, getting there is easy. It’s no problem. You just get out there and do it. And then you begin to enjoy the pain, the anguish of working out. Then you begin to enjoy the difficulty of training. The difficulty essentially becomes transformed into an enjoyable challenge.

Does our collective memory go back as far as Apolo Anton Ohno, the short track speed skater from the Winter Olympics?

Can we even go back as far as the Winter Olympics of ‘02?

When he competed in 2002, he was the start up, he had that little soul patch, you know he’s this young guy and he did really well, he was the hopeful, and everybody just seemed to swarm around him. I didn’t realize he had created such a media stir until they were showing clips of what his life after the 2002 Olympics was like.

Here he is in a suit and tie. He’s looks the best. He’s out there and he’s got endorsement deals. He’s meeting celebrities, he’s on red carpets…and what this was for him was really, really attractive and incredibly exciting. You know, going on the Jay Leno Show and this kind of thing. Really fabulous.

And you could tell he was really, really enjoying it up to a certain point.

But what happened was, he made a decision. He decided that what was the most important thing for him to do, the clearest objective he could accomplish in his mind was a repeat performance at the next Olympics.

Four years is an incredibly long time, especially from a training perspective. It could be easy for anyone to lose perspective. But if you want to be the best in the world, then four years is what you need to accomplish that objective.

So there was a period there where he could’ve rested on his laurels. He could’ve said, ‘That’s enough. A gold metal winner. That’s plenty. That’s more than most people accomplish in their lifetime.’ But he did something remarkable. He chose to push all of that aside and focus on the objective: Repeat Performance.

By making that decision, by making his objective that much clearer, that personal, that intense, it created an automatic system of decision making.

And at that point it became a no brainer: “Install myself at the training center and do nothing but train until the next Olympics.”

I’ve seen his training footage…it’s like dormitory living at the Olympic training center. It’s not luxurious living. When those first Olympics were over he could’ve taken more endorsement deals and try to spin that celebrity thing into something, you know, making appearances and speaking engagements and this sort of thing and really try and cash in, but that’s not what he did.

What he did was he decided to train.

And he decided to train in such a way that would wilt most of us. We would fail miserably. We just wouldn’t have the mental stamina. The mental intensity to be able to accomplish that kind of objective.

But he did it.

And it was one of the most powerful movements I’ve seen in athletics in I don’t know how long. I don’t know if you remember, but when he got to the 2006 Winter Olympics he was unable to repeat a gold medal performance in the 1500m event but he did take the gold in the 500m race and he went on to collect two more medals making him one of only four Americans who has won three medals in a single Winter Olympics. During the closing ceremony (I will never forget) he talked to a news crew a lot about the spirit of the Olympic Games and about being involved in the spirit of the Olympic Games. You could see the training in his being. You could see it in his eyes. You could see it in the way he talked.

What he spoke about was the purity of training and competition. Of getting to this place where you’re resting on your training background. Where you’ve said, ‘I’ve trained enough. Now it’s time to let the body do the work.’ And he was there. He was there in his complete being, invested in the spirit of the games. Because the spirit of the games themselves wasn’t just getting there and competing. The spirit of the games was the manifestation, the reflection of all those years of training. Years of training! Six days a week, every day, twice a day some days I’m sure.

It was in the end, a really incredible testament to the power of decision making. All of us can’t be Apolo Anton Ohno but we can take a piece of that and make a priority out of what we want in our bodies and say, ‘I want my body to be this.’ And picture that in our mind and see it happening. And the more you do that, the more it informs your day to day decisions. And you’re going to need those day to day decisions informed, because every day you’re faced with decisions. Should I eat ice-cream or should I have something more nutritious? Should I eat something that’s going to help me towards my goal? Or eat something that’s going to hinder me in my process of obtaining my goal?

You don’t have to always, one hundred percent make it, but if you don’t have a clear objective, then that decision making process is so mushy and so unclear, that chances are more often than not you will be moving away from your goal rather than closer to it.

So, make your goal nice and clear. Make it super clear and that will inform almost the rest of everything you do.

(article continues on the above posted blog)

[aaosmts19]

I have been following closely the latest news about Michael Phelps, evaluating both sides of the coin:

1) Give the kid a break...he's trained so hard, he's allowed a little funtime.., everyone's done pot at one time or another

2) Vs. I have no patience for this...anyone who has signed as many legal contracts as he has from sponsors knows that he is expected to be an exemplary figurehead for others, the USCO, the brand name he is signing with. In fact, these contracts have morals clauses in them.

I don't really know which side of the coin I fall on...probably a little bit of both.

And over the past two days I keep wondering about Apolo...how many years he's had to dedicate this life, without too much 'downtime' or partying...the chance just to be a normal guy. Sort of similar situations...started young, single parent, little time to have a normal life.

So I was heartened to see this article this afternoon. It's not obvious whether this is a comment gleaned from olderer interviews, or if he was sought out for a comment about Michael's situation:

newsblogs.chicagotribune.com/sports_globetrotting/2009/02/by-philip-hersh-us-olympic-committee-boss-jim-scherr-has-sent-michael-phelps-a-letter-offering-the-usocs-assistance-and-re.html

USOC offers to help Phelps avoid future embarrassments
By Philip Hersh

U.S. Olympic Committee boss Jim Scherr has sent Michael Phelps a letter offering the USOC's assistance and resources to help Phelps avoid future incidents like the bong photo that has caused the Olympic hero significant embarrassment, the Tribune has learned.

Asked about Phelps during a Wednesday teleconference previewing the 2010 Winter Olympics, which begin 53 weeks from now, Scherr said only that he would be talking with Phelps and ``people close to him.''

"His sponsors and the people close to him will be and are concerned about whether or not there may be a recurrence or whether or not this is a pattern of behavior,'' Scherr said.

"Based on this occurrence, we at the United States Olympic Committee are exceptionally disappointed in Michael, as I know he is in himself. And we will be following up and having direct conversations with Michael and the people that are close to him in the near future.''

The Feb. 2 edition of the British tabloid News of the World had a picture of Phelps sucking on a glass pipe generally used to inhale cannabis, an illegal drug, at a party that reportedly took place Nov. 6 in Columbia, S.C. Phelps pleaded guilty to drunk driving and received 18 months of probation in 2004.

Speedskater Apolo Anton Ohno, who gained a measure of celebrity (especially among young people) immediately after he won an Olympic gold medal at age 19 in 2002, said he had a significant change in thinking about his actions at that point.

"My outlook on my behavior changed dramatically," said Ohno, who would win another gold in 2006 and also win the 2007 edition of 'Dancing With the Stars.' "All Olympians, once they allowed to call themselves a U.S. Olympic athlete (have) certain guidelines and protocol. If someone does have a camera phone, especially in public and in private, it is important to represent what you would like your mom to see or a little kid to see.

"It is very important to be aware of your surroundings and what you are doing and the choices you make."

** Drew Johnson of Octagon, Phelps' management company, said in an email his company had heard nothing from the Richland County, S.C., sheriff, who said Tuesday he was considering charges against Phelps and that the sheriff's department was investigating the incident.

Octagon has been under fire since the News of the World reported that the company's representative in London, Clifford Bloxham, had offered Phelps' services as a columnist for three years if the newspaper did not publish the photo and the story.

"News of the World's interpretation is inaccurate," Johnson said in the email. "They're a tabloid and we have no intention of getting into a shouting match with a tabloid."