Rough Beginnings

Apolo was raised alone by his hairdresser dad, Yuki Ohno, in Seattle, Washington.  His life wasn't easy to begin with...having to grow up without a mom and spending much of his time home alone while his dad worked 2 jobs to support their family.  But, Apolo was a strong kid. He took the cards life dealt him and used those cards to his advantage.  If only things didn't start going south...Apolo would have been the perfect kid. He started hanging out with gang bangers, disobeying his father, staying at his friends houses for days on end...and just at the early age of 14. Luckily, his "rebellious" ways would soon end.

The Story Truly Begins

Feeling as though there was no better solution, Apolo's father shipped him off to a U.S. training camp in Lake Placid, New York to become a short track speedskater.  Apolo hated the first month he lived in Lake Placid, even though in the back   of his mind he knew he had shown promise in the winter sport of speedskating. All he needed was a little patience...which soon came. He began enjoying going to practice and school, realizing his father's decision was the correct one. He trained endlessly...every day  working his way to become one of the best and youngest speed skaters in the country. A couple years passed, and suddenly Apolo's the biggest craze to hit the 2002 Salt Lake Games.  Even though many of us had never even heard of Apolo before these last winter olympics, he has been one of the most successful these past couple of years. Sure, it was a tough ride, but he made it through...and with flying colors (gold and silver ones to be specific). “I’m proud of my past, good and bad. It’s what has shaped me and made me what I am today,” he says. “Everything I have done in the past has made me a stronger and better person.”