A three - time Olympian in short track speedskating, Apolo Ohno is the most decorated U.S. Olympic winter athlete of all time with eight medals, including two golds. Ohno became interested in short track speedskating at age 12 while watching the Olympic Winter Games Lillehammer 1994. Despite his late start, it only took Ohno two years to become the youngest national champion ever, and h e went on to win 12 national titles throughout his illustrious career. Ohno was the first American to win the overall world cup title in the 2000 - 01 season, and subsequently won the title twice more, in 2003 and 2005. He has at least one medal in each of the Olympic distances: gold in the 500 - meter; silver and two bronzes in the 1,000; gold and silver in the 1,500; and two bronzes in the 5,000 relays. In addition, he owns 21 world championship medals (8 golds, 7 silvers , 6 bronzes).
Ohno maintains a healthy and active lifestyle and has graced the covers of magazines including Men’s Journal, Sports Illustrated, Life, Time and Cosmo while also becoming the first Olympian to win ABC’s hit reality show “Dancing With The Stars.” Ohno is a Special Olympics Global Ambassador and travels the world for the organization.
Engagement: In 2012, Ohno traveled to support Special Olympics Nippon at its Winter National Games in Fukushima, where he participated in Opening Ceremonies and hosted skate clinics. He continued to China to host several skate clinics, where he drew inspiration for his blog, Ohno attended the 2013 Special Olympics World Winter Games in Pyeonchang, Korea, where he participated in a Unified Sports Experience with S pecial Olympics athletes and several former Olympic skate champions. Other events Apolo has attended are Special Olympics 50 th Anniversary Unified Cup 2018 and Special Olympics World Summer Games Abu Dhabi
Alumni Ambassadors
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Apolo Anton Ohno
Olympic Medalist (Speedskating) -
Benedetto Saraceno
Health Expert & Advocate -
Brooklyn Decker Roddick
Actress & Model -
Cafu (Marcos Evangelista de Morais)
Legendary Professional Soccer Player -
Her Serene Highness Princess Charlene of Monaco
Olympian & World Champion Swimmer -
Emma Broyles
Miss America 2022 -
Gleyber Torres
2x MLB All-Star, New York Yankees Shortstop -
Gracie Hunt
Inclusion activist, Unified Partner and Philanthropist -
Joe Haden
Former NFL Player & All Pro Defensive Back -
Lauren Potter
Actor & Advocate -
Maria Menounos
Actor & New York Times Best-Selling Author -
Michelle Kwan
Olympic Medalist, Figure Skating, United States Ambassador to Belize -
Montell Jordan
International Recording Artist/Pastor -
Nancy O'Dell
Media Personality -
Ricardo Montaner
Grammy Award Winning Singer & Songwriter -
Ricky Rubio
Former NBA Player, Cleveland Cavaliers -
Scott Hamilton
Olympic Champion, Figure Skating -
Vanessa Williams
Singer & Broadway Performer -
Willson Contreras
2x MLB All-Star, St. Louis Cardinals Catcher -
Yuna Kim
Olympic Champion, Figure Skating
