Apolo Anton Ohno, born May 22, 1982 is an American short track speed skating competitor and a six-time medalist (two gold, two silver, two bronze) in the Winter Olympics.
Ohno has won six Olympic medals over his career and is one of only four Americans who has won three medals in a single Winter Olympic games. He is tied with Bonnie Blair for most career medals at the Winter Games by an American. He has been the reigning United States’ champion since 2001 and has won the men’s national title a total of 12 times. In December 1999, he became the youngest skater to win a World Cup event title, and became the first American to win a World Cup overall title in 2001. In 2008, Ohno won his first overall World Championship title.
He was the United States Olympic Committee’s Male Athlete of the Month in October 2003 and March 2008. He was named the U.S. Speedskating’s Athlete of the Year for 2003 and was a 2002, 2003 and 2006 finalist for the Sullivan Award, which recognizes the best amateur athlete in the United States.
He also competed in and won the reality TV show Dancing with the Stars in 2007. On February 20, 2007, the ABC television network announced Ohno would dance on the fourth season of the Dancing with the Stars reality show. He was paired with dancing partner Julianne Hough, and both appeared on the show for the first time on March 19, 2007. Together they received the competition’s first perfect score of 30 for their samba routine on April 16, 2007. The dancing pair won the finale and were named the champions after performing a paso doble, rumba, and a hip-hop freestyle routine in the final competition.