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GOLDSEA |
ASIAMS.NET |
ASIAN AMERICAN ISSUES
Apolo Ohno: Next Asian American Olympic Hero?
e's the U.S. athlete most likely to lead the medal count at the 2002 Salt Lake City Winter Olympics, with an even chance of winning gold in all four short track speedskating events. What's more, the 19-year-old half-Japanese kid comes with a backstory that's sure to add cache and even a dab of poignance to his achievement.
Apolo Anton Ohno exploded onto the speedskating scene at the absurd age of 14 when he became the U.S. national men's speedskating champion. In 1999 and 2000 he came in first overall in the World Cups in China and Canada. He lost last year's World Championship to South Corean Kim Dong-Sung, but came right back to set a new world short-track record of 2 minutes, 13.728 seconds in the 1,500-meter in December's U.S. Olympic trials.
At those same trials Ohno became caught in a scandal that may only add badboy cache to his Olympic exploits -- he was accused of deliberately coming in third in the 1,000-meter race in order to ensure an Olympic berth for close buddy Shani Davis, the first Black to qualify for the U.S. Olympic Speed Skating Team. Davis's win bumped 1998 Olympian Tommy O'Hare off the team. O'Hare filed a complaint with the U.S. Olympic Committee. The arbitrator bought Ohno's story that, having racked up more than enough points to qualify for all four short-track events, he had simply decided to play it safe. But the suspicion lingers that Ohno had rigged a race to help a buddy, especially when it finds support in the testimony of two skeptical referees and of three other teammates who heard Ohno and Davis rigging the race.
Then there's the poignance.
Apolo Ohno was raised entirely by father Yuki who had immigrated alone from Tokyo at the age of 18. Yuki dropped out of accounting studies at Seattle City College in favor of the less cerebral profession of cosmetology. He opened his own Seattle beauty salon and enjoyed enough success to party hearty with other young hairdressers. He was 36 before marrying Apolo's mother. The marriage ended within a year, putting Yuki in the unfamiliar position of having to provide mothering and a stable home for his infant son. To make ends meet Yuki had to moonlight at a second salon. That left many unsupervised hours for Apolo. His after-school mischief with friends became worrisome. Yuki got him involved in swimming and in-line skating, then after watching a short-track race from the 1994 Lillehammer Winter Games, he hooked Apolo up with the sport in which he would make his mark. He was so surprisingly good, in fact, that father and son set their sights on qualifying for the 1998 Nagano games. The combination of pressure and inexperience proved too much. In the Olympic trials Apolo came in 16th out of 16 hopefuls and failed to make the team. For some time his ultimate comeback was doubtful, then painful, but ultimately successful beyond the Ohnos' wildest expectations.
And now Apolo Anton Ohno twinkles as the pole star in the U.S. quest for a record-setting 20 medals in Salt Lake City. Those bright metal tokens won't come easy. Ohno must pit cunning, muscle and heart against better seasoned Corean and Chinese foes in the 500-meter, 1,000-meter and 1,500-meter individual races, then pull the team in the 5,000-meter relay. Ohno's spandex may not throw off the glamour of Michele Kwan's ice dresses but this February millions of new aficianados will likely thrill to the wicked glint of steel slashing in switchblade duels on the unforgiving short track.
Will Apolo Ohno leave Salt Lake City as the next American Olympic hero? Or has he already disqualified himself with his badboy image?
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WHAT YOU SAY
[This page is closed to new input. --Ed.]
(Updated
Wednesday, Jan 22, 2025, 04:38:55 AM)
I'm a huge fan of Apolo! He's got good looks and lots of talent. I think very highly of the fact that he was very laid back about the whole "fall incident" and congratulated the Aussie on his winning the gold. He is mature, and graceful and I think that's wonderful.
Elizabeth
snowboard_babe_01@hotmail.com
Thursday, February 21, 2002 at 11:39:01 (PST)
Will he ever shave that goatee. It's starting to bother me.
But he is definitely pretty talented, see how he just zipped by the rest of the field in the 1500 finals. From 5th position to 2nd in just one corner. Pure poetry on ice.
AC Dropout
Thursday, February 21, 2002 at 10:17:07 (PST)
OK, may be I just don't understand, or Koreans have different significance to their national flag (I apologize if I’m just ignorant of flag-significance cultural differences). However, I can't stop to feel what a disgrace the Korean skater Kim was to his country. When you are representing your country, no matter the outcome or perceived fairness, you should never have thrown your national flag on the floor in disgust!
Oh No,
You are wrong. A falling South Korean skater took out Ohno along with others in the 1000-meter event. Not "SLAMMED by a Chinese skater."
AA with too much time
Thursday, February 21, 2002 at 06:53:12 (PST)
who cares about his "badboy" image? focus on his talents and strengths! apolo ohno is a tremendously gifted athlete who has demonstrated grace and dignity in the midst of olympic drama (the infamous fall). let's not minimize the fact that he is the first american man to win a gold medal in the short track competition by wondering whether or not he'll be a hero, or a badboy...that's just....lame!
go apolo!
Wednesday, February 20, 2002 at 22:44:36 (PST)
I don't know about Ohno leaving Salt Lake as an Olympic hero, as both his medals (so far) have been won with contributions from interesting sets of extenuating circumstances, but I'm sure he'll have a legion of new fans. Good job Ohno, for advancing not only America but the happa image as well!
New Fan
Wednesday, February 20, 2002 at 20:02:23 (PST)
This time, Ohno wins the gold, in the 1500. Thanks to a good call, another skater was disqualified, allowing Ohno to win the gold. Finally!
OH YES
Wednesday, February 20, 2002 at 19:57:51 (PST)
What an irony... Ohno the AMERICAN ASIAN was prevented from winning gold by another ASIAN and gave it to a white dude. LOL.
Short Track Rocks
Wednesday, February 20, 2002 at 12:28:41 (PST)
Too bad Ohno got SLAMMED by a Chinese skater which prevented him from getting the gold and got one for Australia!!!
OH NO!!!
Wednesday, February 20, 2002 at 09:55:16 (PST)
i don't know if i would still think apolo was cute if it weren't for his badboy image. is it weird or am i just too americanized. you know tha whole bad boy image.
?
Tuesday, February 19, 2002 at 20:19:15 (PST)
About the pairs figure skating, the Chinese pairs team will still have the bronze. There is no moving up.
Jasmine
Tuesday, February 19, 2002 at 13:45:11 (PST)
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