With Seventh Medal, Apolo Ohno Makes Winter Olympic History

Just like his fleet-footed namesake, Apolo Anton Ohno proved last night that he had the quick footedness needed to become the most decorated American athlete in Winter Olympic history. While competing in the finals of the 1,000 meter short-track speed skate, Ohno was in second place with two and a half laps to go. Then, a disastrous slip sent the skater to fifth place, and all hope seemed lost for a medal.

Summoning his strength and refusing to let his trip get the better of him, Ohno, who realized that all hope for gold and silver were lost, stormed past Charles and Francois Hamelin of Canada to finish third and earn a bronze medal. "I had to crank it up," Ohno told People.com, "I regrouped and won the bronze. It means a lot to me."

That bronze medal carries with it more than a third-place finish for Ohno at his third Winter Olympic Games. As he skated his victory lap, Ohno held up five fingers on his left hand and two on his right along with the American flag. Last night's 1,000 meter bronze is his seventh medal, and it makes him the most-decorated Winter Olympian in U.S. history — surpassing long-track speed skater Bonnie Blair's six career Olympic medals.

Blair, who was on hand at the Pacific Coliseum to see Ohno's historical feat, had nothing but praise for the athlete. Blair told Sports Illustrated, "I'm very happy for Apolo's accomplishment. It's a great feat for him, US speedskating, and the United States of America. We hope that more kids will see his accomplishments and want to try our great sport that has been so good to us and taught us so much about what it takes to be successful in life."

Bonnie Blair wasn't the only excessively decorated Olympic veteran on hand to see Ohno make history last night. Also looking on from the stands was Mr. Fourteen Medals himself: Michael Phelps. Despite the presence of these Olympic greats, and despite Ohno's now-cemented places in both US and short-track speed skating (his bronze made him the most-medaled short-track speed skater ever), Ohno remains modest about his accomplishments.

"I don't put labels on myself," the skater told Sports Illustrated. "I consider myself an athlete on my third Olympic Games, working my heart out. My goal was to come out and put my heart and soul into the Olympic Games and I've done that." Ohno will have a chance to raise his medal tally when he competes in two more races, the 500 and 5,000 meter relay, later on in the Vancouver Games. Even if he doesn't medal, Ohno's Olympic spirit and appreciation for what he's accomplished remain strong. "It feels amazing," he told The New York Times. "In our sport, it’s crazy to win one medal, for any athlete."

Photos: By Seattle Municipal Archives via Wikimedia Commons; by Noelle Neu via Wikimedia Commons.