I have always been one to watch the Olympics. Does not matter, winter or summer, I'm watching. This was the year for great Olympics! There is an athlete with an amazing story, has the ability to rock his competition, shows cool style and makes it look easy, is a power house both physically and mentally, and has a cute smile. Who's that athlete?? None other than ...
Apolo Anton Ohno!!!
Here is a quick summary of what he has done. This all started when he was 12 years old.
"Ohno went to become the overall champion at the 1999 Junior World Championships and at the 2000-2001 World Cup. Making the 2002 Olympic team, he scored silver and gold at the Winter Olympic Games in Salt Lake City, Utah. In the 1,000-meter event, Ohno was injured when several skaters crashed, but he was able to complete the race to win a silver medal. A disqualification led to his first gold medal, when a South Korean skater was found to have illegally blocked Ohno from passing him."
"Continuing his career as a superior skater, Ohno earned the title of overall champion at the 2002-2003 and 2004-2005 World Cup events. He also won gold for the 1,000-meter and 3,000-meter events at the 2005 World Championships. Returning to Olympic competition in 2006, Ohno won gold in the 500-meter event. He scored two bronze medals for the 1,000-meter and 5,000-meter relay competitions."
"Ohno also continued to train during this time, and in December 24, 2007, he won his ninth national title in the 1000-meter and the 1500-meter short-track races. The next year, he placed first in the 500-meter race during the 2008 World Championships in South Korea, and he won his tenth national title in 2009."
"In anticipation of the 2010 Winter Olympics, Ohno took on a strict training regimen. With diet and exercise, he lost more than 20 pounds and nearly doubled the amount of weight he could lift. In peak physical condition, Ohno was able to defend his national title during the U.S. Olympic trials in September 2009—and won the meet overall. During the 2010 Games, Ohno earned a silver in the 1500-meter, then snagged the overall silver in the 1000-meter. With these victories, Ohno broke the record for most medals won by a U.S. Winter Olympian."
Wow, enough said. I love to watch his style of speed skating. At the start of the race he just sits back like walking through the park, with hands on his back. Then next thing you know BAM he steals third place, second place, then in the last seconds ...first place! I found a video that showed a fraction of his training. So humbling what a human can do. Every time I watch this video, I just want to get up and hit the gym. Check out the muscle definition Apollo has in his legs when they do the deep lunges, especially compared to his training partner. Amazing!
Can't wait till 2014 winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia!!
