nwasianweekly.com
Jan. 6,
2006
Apolo Ohno
graciously shook everyone’s hands while visiting the office of the
Northwest Asian Weekly last Wednesday.
Photo by Carol N. Vu
Surprise visit by Apolo Ohno
By Carol N. Vu
Northwest Asian Weekly
It’s
not every day a reigning Olympic gold medalist glides into our office.
Looking suave in a leather jacket, his trademark long hair nicely coiffed,
Apolo Ohno made an unannounced visit to the Northwest Asian Weekly last
Wednesday.
Jaws dropped. Gasps were heard. People ran to get their cameras. Ohno
chuckled at the attention as he graciously shook everyone’s hands
and answered questions. His father, Belltown hairstylist Yuki Ohno, stood
off to the side and beamed as he watched his son interact with fans.
Ohno won a gold and two bronzes in short-track speedskating at the 2004
Winter Olympics in Turin, Italy, adding to the gold and silver he won
at the 2002 Salt Lake City Games. The face of American speedskating for
the past several years and an internationally recognized celebrity, he
has won races around the world, making legions of fans along the way.
He certainly hasn’t been hurt by his youthful heartthrob image,
complete with wavy locks, boy-next-door grin and, of course, that oh-so-cool
soul patch.
The 24-year-old was in town to spend Christmas with his dad, who has
raised Apolo by himself since the time he was an infant. After the Ohno
men had lunch in Chinatown/International District with friend and Seattle
entrepreneur Yale Wong, Wong took them to the Northwest Asian Weekly
to meet the staff.
Ohno remains close to his dad, who is clearly his No. 1 fan, and visits
him in Seattle as often as he can. In competition, Yuki Ohno can often
be seen in the stands, arms above his head, cheering his son on. It’s
still Yuki who cuts Apolo’s hair.
If you didn’t know who Apolo Ohno was when he walked in, you’d
think he was just your average nice guy. He appeared at ease talking
to strangers. Many celebrities are guarded when they talk to the media,
for fear of saying something that would damage their reputation, but
not Ohno. He was relaxed and open, even when discussing his love life.
(More on that later.)
It’s as if he wanted people to get to know the real Apolo Ohno.
Life
after speedskating
For the past several years, Ohno has spent most of his time in Colorado
Springs, Colo., where he trains full time at the U.S. Olympic Training
Center. When he has time, he takes classes at the University of Colorado-Colorado
Springs, where he is studying towards a business degree, albeit slowly,
but surely.
That degree might come in handy soon, as Ohno is already thinking about
life after speedskating. He’s looked into opening up fitness shops,
investing in real estate, even acting in movies. “I have many interests,” he
acknowledged.
Ohno has already written an autobiography, which was published in 2002.
For 2007, his goal is simple: to come up with a plan, including fitness
and mental regimens, that will get him to the next Winter Olympics. It’s
especially important to him that he gets a spot on the 2010 team, as
the Games will take place close to home, in Vancouver, B.C., and it might
be his last appearance in the Olympics. Ohno said most speedskaters reach
their peak at 27, the age he will be in 2010.
Some of his toughest competition comes from the South Korean skaters,
with whom he has shared numerous controversies. At the 2002 Games, South
Korean skater Kim Dong-sung finished the 1500-meter race first, but was
disqualified for blocking Ohno, who was then named the winner. The South
Korean team was furious, and Ohno became the recipient of several death
threats from overzealous fans of the Korean team.
In 2006, when Ohno was beat by two South Korea skaters in the 1,000-meter
race, he made it a point to show good sportsmanship. “I was the
first to shake their hands,” he said. On the medals stand, gold
medalist Ahn Hyun Soo invited silver winner Lee Ho-suk and bronze medalist
Ohno to share the top of the podium with him.
Ohno believes any hostility between the Americans and the South Koreans
has been a function of the media’s imagination. “We get along
fine,” he insisted.
Refreshingly honest
Ohno looked leaner in person than he does on TV, but he is just as personable,
friendly and refreshingly honest.
When asked if he has to work to conquer his demons, he replied, “Every
day.”
Even the most exceptional athletes like Ohno have to deal with the fear
of failure, the fear of not being good enough. Self-doubt can haunt them
like ghosts. It takes a lot of mental toughness to rid yourself of them
and focus on your strengths.
To keep his body in shape, Ohno said he trains for about eight hours
a day and sticks to a very strict diet. Even while vacationing in Seattle,
he didn’t get a break. Ohno said he still worked out “a few
hours” every day.
He flew back to Colorado Springs Dec. 28.
So, does this heartthrob have a girlfriend?
The media widely reported during the Turin Olympics that he was dating
fellow American speedskater Allison Baver. But last week, Ohno would
only say with a grin, “I’m dating.”
It’s obvious he’s used to talking to the media and with fans.
People ask him the same questions over and over, so he’s prepared
with articulate and polished answers. He comes across as a mature and
thoughtful young man.
One major irk of all reporters: when someone tells them, “This
is off the record.” It’s irritating when a public figure
discloses interesting information about him or herself that other reporters
don’t know, only to follow it up with a request to not publish
it.
Not once did Ohno say that to anyone in the office. He was open with
everyone.
Ohno seems to understand that people want to know more about him. So
he remains accommodating and approachable, patient and gracious.
And that’s the real Apolo Ohno.
Carol N. Vu can be reached at carol@nwasianweekly.com.
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