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KEARNS -- Ever wonder what Olympic athletes do after the games? Now that training is over for a while, and all the medals have been won, speed skater Apolo Ohno returned to Utah Tuesday.
Ohno was back at the Kearn's Oval, not to train, but to shoot a commercial for his nutritional supplement company. He told reporters he still can't believe that now, after the Vancouver games, he is the most decorated winter athlete in Olympic history.
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Among Winter Olympians, Apolo stands alone
The list of great American athletes who have won bunches of medals at the Winter Olympic Games makes for a story of perseverance, endurance and triumph. Apolo Ohno, the short track speed skating star, stands alone."It was incredible! This is my third game. I've been competing 15 years. It's been a fantastic journey," Ohno said.
Now he's hanging up the skates, maybe evening retiring.
"Possibly," Ohno said. "I'm taking a break."
Still, he said he will always have a home in Utah.
"Since the games in 2002, people have always been supportive of me here. It's definitely my second home," he said.
Ohno's Utah fans are glad to hear it.
"I've been watching him since 2002, the first time he was here and won his gold medals," said fan Tina Jensen.
For Ohno, his eight speed skating medals are not the most valuable thing he gained from his Olympic experience.
"Normally, they are cooped up in a sock drawer, but they are with my father in Seattle," Ohno said. "I'm sure someday I will have a display case, but for me the most memorable things are the things I gained from the ice, and the struggles along the way, rather than the hardware."
But the medals are pretty cool to have, Ohno said.
E-mail: abutterfield@ksl.com
