Marquette Press Conference Photo Gallery

I hope everyone's new year is off to a great start! I'm still plugging away on the Marquette and Calgary galleries... the latest one is a mini-gallery of photos from Apolo's post-500m press conference in Marquette. Here it is - enjoy! MQT Press Conf. Gallery

The Bay City Times announced readers' choices for the most significant events of 2003 and the 2003 US Championships made the cut! You can read the summary here (including a quote from our own Jennifer G!):
Readers pick top local stories of 2003

Happy New Year

Wishing everyone a happy, healthy, prosperous and joyous 2004!

Ron Judd article/Seattle Times: The article Janet told us about is now online. Ron summarizes Apolo's season so far, and raises the issue of whether continuing turmoil within the US short track program will hinder Olympic prospects for Apolo and the rest of the team.
****

Apolo Anton Ohno: Death threat, Olympic plans by Ron Judd

How do you follow up a two-year run that began with double Olympic medals and ended with an overall world championship? If you're short-track skating whiz Apolo Anton Ohno, you probably don't.

... a bit of a sophomore slump has set in on this season's World Cup tour, where Ohno ranks sixth overall in the face of stiffening worldwide competition, particularly from South Korea, China and Canada.

He drew his biggest headlines this season for a race in which he chose not to compete - a long-anticipated World Cup match in South Korea. Ohno and his U.S. teammates opted out of the match... after a handful of Korean yahoos threatened his life on a Web site.... Missing the match left the Seattle native at a World Cup points disadvantage relative to other skaters who have completed the entire circuit.

Ohno's overall focus remains the 2006 Olympics in Torino, Italy - and perhaps, he suggested recently, the 2010 Winter Games in Vancouver, B.C.

But questions remain whether the U.S. short-track program can provide Ohno, 21, with the support he needs to stand again on the medal platform. The sport, in spite of a golden opportunity afforded by the high-profile Salt Lake Games, seems to be in a constant state of tumult.

Short track's governing body this year fired its head coach for the second time in two years following the Olympics. The move was protested to the U.S. Olympic Committee - to little avail - by Ohno and other skaters.

Short-track's newfound fan base, largely drawn by Ohno, remains passionate, but small. For now, short track remains an obscure sport in America. The overall U.S. team remains a full notch below its competitors, both in numbers of athletes and performance. And Apolo Ohno operates in a rather odd athletic universe, as a major star in search of a stage. (via Seattle Times 2003 Year in Review Special)

Read full article

Thanks to Melinda for sending in these shots from the Calgary World Cup

Final 2 Clips from the Marquette Press Conference
Here are installments 9 and 10 from Apolo's press conference after winning the 500m at the Marquette World Cup.

Clip 9: 'Skate like I know how to skate' (discussing the 500m)
Clip 10: 'This sport is getting faster and guys are racing differently'
As with video clips, right-click link and select 'save target as...'

Previously posted:
Clip 1: Apolo discusses the 500 and the Crowd Support
Clip 2: World Cups vs. Olympic Games
Clip 3: Why the Start in the 500 is Critical
Clip 4: Working on the 500
Clip 5: 'We have fans now'
Clip 6: Chasing the Rabbits
Clip 7: 'I skated really well today'
Clip 8: Relay team's prospects

Once again, many thanks again to Liz for the use of her digital recorder and for putting all these clips together for us.