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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)
Go Apolo! I love that guy - he's so incredibly fresh. I hope he continues to share his awesome talent and wise attitude with all. Apolo, will you marry me?
su
sulingvy@hotmail.com
Friday, February 22, 2002 at 00:56:40 (PST)
I am a huge fan of Apolo's. He is n amazing young man who dazzles us all with his talent and good looks!!!! He has had nothing but a good attitude about everything and the Koreans need to get over their loss!
I LOVE YOU APOLO!!!!!!!
Kathie
Thursday, February 21, 2002 at 21:57:14 (PST)
APOLO IS SO CUTE!!! I'm in love with him!! but he is also very very talented and he made me really interested in the olympics.
U RULE APOLO!!!
Thursday, February 21, 2002 at 21:37:59 (PST)
I feel so damn weird...
This is where the dilema comes when you're living as an Asian-American (Korean-American).
Last night, Apolo Ohno v Kim Dong Sun, I mean who are you supposed to cheer for? America or South Korea?
HONESETLY, I was cheering for Korea, but I didn't feel that bad when Kim was disqualified and Ohno got the gold medal because an American had won it.
But surprisingly, at school today, many of my Korean-American friends (they have been living in America much longer than I) showed disgust and talked about how the Korean dude was robbed of gold medal.
It got me thinking, why be so patriotic to the country that you have left? Aren't you an AMERICAN? *sigh* I don't know who's right.
Dilemation
Thursday, February 21, 2002 at 16:09:28 (PST)
I am surprise no one has ever brought up the subject of his ethnic makeup. I know he's part Japanese, but what's the other part? White? Hispanic? He looks latino to me. If anyone can answer this question, I would really appreciate it.
New Spectator
Thursday, February 21, 2002 at 13:48:39 (PST)
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