Ohno Zone >
Apolo Anton Ohno Interview, June
2004
Part 5: Fans and just for
fun
Do you ever visit your fan sites online,
or is it too weird?
Well, it is weird,
‘cause they’re talking about me!
You
know, it’s a little weird. Honestly, I’m really busy. But sometimes, you
know if somebody tells me to go somewhere, or somebody sends me a link, I’ll
go check it out, sure. Sure. I mean, that’s why short track is so
popular with a lot of people, is because we have strong fans. I’ve always
said, the fans are the best
in short
track.
How do you feel about the fan support now? What would you like to see
more of, less of?
I
think the fans are doing a great job. Hopefully we can bring more excitement to
the sport, bring our championships to bigger, better venues, host these big events [the
way] they should be. I think that will attract a lot more fans and
the fans will have a good
time as
well.
Hopefully
if Vegas goes 100% through this year, that’s
gonna be a good thing. If the guys who are going to be running
it can get some things together, and get the whole plan in order, then [World
Cup #3 in Vegas] is going to be
an awesome
time.
I would like to have a little competition circuit
and have big companies sponsor it, we fly all over the place and then the
fans can go see these competitions. We can come to their hometown, to California, we
can go to Seattle, we can go to the East Coast, the Midwest, all
over the place. It would be
a good
thing.
What do you think about gambling on the
races in Vegas?
[Feigns surprise]
Oh, there is going to be
gambling? Of course
. That’s a good thing. Short
track is similar to horse racing, but it’s not, because it’s real, human, live
people racing against each other. Hopefully [gambling] will bring more attention to the sport, and I
think it will. I think it will.
What's the best thing about having fans at competitions?
It's the
support. It's the fact that we know we have people that are supporting us and
supporting... the way I compete, I go to a foreign country, and you
guys show up. The feeling that I get is pure energy!
It really... it makes me feel like... it's almost like having a team,
that supports your team. You go some place where you feel uncomfortable,
but then you see these people, these familiar faces, that want you to do
well, and they're there because they love the sport, and that's awesome.
It's really cool.
If you could change one thing about your
life today, what would it be?
Change? I don’t
think I’d change anything, no. I never want to change anything, because
everything that happens happens for a reason. Either I learn from it,
or it makes me the person I am today. Everything that happens – good, bad
– it all happens for a reason. Whether you can see that in the light right
now, or five years from now, you can always look back and say, ‘Wow, you
know, maybe that happened because, look where I am today.’ I look at my
life
as something that I just enjoy.
Sure, we all get mad, angry, sad… but that’s the way it is. I’m just
having a good time.
Do you think you have changed since 2002?
Absolutely. I think that I’ve matured
a little bit. I think that I look at things with a little
different perspective, but at the same time, I’m still the same goofy
kid. [giggles] I really am. I still work hard, I still love the sport, I
still have fun with my buddies. I’m still a 22 year old living in a dream.
Really.
When you were younger, we know you used to sing. If you were on
'American Idol', what would you choose to sing?
What would I choose to sing?! Oh… I wouldn’t be a
part of American Idol! I can’t sing! I can’t sing!
Well neither can most of the people on that show!
Which is true, you know. Which is true. I don’t know
what I’d sing! I’d probably be the guy they caught for lip-synching,
because I’d be so nervous. Really! I’d be incredibly nervous to be
singing. I can’t sing!
So do you think you’d be put through to the next
round?
No!
You know how when you watch tv, they show the contestants that were really
bad? I’d be in the rejected column, and they’d be like, ‘Oh man, this
guy came in once. You should see this guy’s hair, it was down to his shoulders,
we didn’t know what was going on! This guy just walks in and he’s
singing, and we kicked him out immediately. Then we had to bring him back
and had him sing for us again so we could videotape!’ [Laughs]
So you do watch some reality tv then?
Not too much. I really don’t watch too much tv. Even though I wanted a
new tv, which is on [right now]. But I really don’t watch too much tv.
So what do you do to get away from the OTC for a
break?
I go
out and get some exotic food, I don’t know. You know, I love food, so that’s always an experience for me. I hang with my friends, talk to
my dad or just plain chill out.
No low-carb diet for you, right?
No – a controlled diet. I don’t
believe in no carb diets. I believe people can be much healthier with some
carbs, at least. The right kind of carbs, you know. It’s all about
knowledge, knowing about what to put in your body. Knowing not to eat,
like, five Snickers bars at World Championships in Poland. I mean, I
didn’t do that! Okay, I did. But anyway! [laughs]
I like to just relax. I’m usually so beat up from training anyway. I
don’t really go out too much anymore, which is weird. Turning 21 and 22
and growing up the way I did, but I’m pretty relaxed, I think. I’m more of
a chill-out, hang out with people guy.
Have you seen any good movies lately?
I saw ‘The Last Samurai.’ I really like that
movie. I don’t know why. That’s the last one I’ve really seen.
What's your favorite city/country to compete in?
I love competing in Japan.
Is that because of your family connections?
I think so. It feels good when I go there. It just feels really good
when I go there.
Have your grandparents seen you compete there?
My uncle has seen me
compete. My grandparents, no.
I love competing in
Italy, every time. Italy is awesome. They really do it well. I would like
to see more competitions in new places in Europe. Maybe France, maybe
Germany. Just different places.
When the
World Cup schedule for next season came out, I was thinking, ‘How come
they never go to France or Germany, because they have teams, so why not?’ It’s
strange.
I would like to see that. I think they will. Hopefully soon.
Out of all the active skaters today, pick
your dream relay team. (You can't be on it.)
I pick the Dream Team? Five guys or
four guys? Okay. Out of all active skaters,
you said?
Yes. If you have to throw in someone who’s not skating anymore, like Marc, you
can do that. But just one!
Oh,
I can do that? Okay, we’ll use Marc
[Gagnon], Jonathan Guilmette, Hyun-soo Ahn, and Li Jiajun. That’s like
a 6:06 [5000m relay
time]
right there. Or that’s like a 4:24 in the 3000m. [laughs] Those
are very sarcastic numbers, but with those strong skaters new world records would be
easy!
How about for women? Same rules apply.
Let me see here.
For
women, [Eun-kyung] Choi, Yang Yang A, [Chun-sa] Byun, and Meng Wang. That would be
real crazy. I don’t think I’d like to race them! From what I saw of Meng
Wang in the 500 meters in Italy, go 8.8 or 8.9, with both arms on her back
in the 500 final, I was really happy I didn't make that race! I was really
happy that I did not have to race against those girls! Those girls,
they’re so fast!
Many thanks to Apolo for sharing his time and thoughts
with us, and to everyone who submitted
questions for him to answer!
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