The next set of pictures is from the start of the men's 1500m quarterfinal at the World Championships in Sweden. These and other pictures are now in the World Championships photo gallery #2.

Guillaume Mathieu (FRA) and Apolo Anton Ohno (USA)

Apolo Ohno (USA) and Takafumi Nishitani (JPN)

Skaters line up for their 1500m quarterfinal: Jiajun Li (CHN), Volodymyr Hryhoryev (UKR), Guillaume Mathieu (FRA), Apolo Anton Ohno (USA), Takafumi Nishitani (JPN)

Looking at the starter

'Troy' starring Apolo Ohno

The move 'Troy' arrives in theaters everywhere today, and to mark the occasion, Velma has created one of her signature movie wallpapers, featuring Apolo in the lead role. Check it out!

The science behind the pre-race yawn - explained!

Apolo yawns before his 1000m quarterfinal in Sweden

Ever wonder where Apolo's trademark pre-race yawn came from? Thanks to Anita for spotting this possible explanation:

While not common, a small number of people do yawn excessively, often while exercising. Some experts believe that a yawn is your body's way of gearing up for energetic or difficult activity. Physiologically, yawning boosts your blood pressure and your heart rate. It's well documented that Olympic athletes often yawn before competition and paratroopers yawn before a jump.

Read full article(via MSN.com)

A shot from Sweden...

Apolo to participate in USAFE Extreme Summer program

Apolo's schedule of appearances at U.S. Air Force bases this summer is now available. He'll visit about 8 bases in England, Norway and Germany over a one-week period in early August, as a role model for the United States Air Forces in Europe Extreme Summer Program. Other role models participating are Spider Man, swimmer Dara Torres, NASCAR driver Ernie Irvan and NFL player Hines Ward.

“Apolo Ohno has a great story,” said Lynda Yezzy-Valentine, the USAFE marketing and entertainment coordinator. “He was a young kid without direction and he found skating and a couple of short years later, he was an Olympic medalist.” via Stars & Stripes

More information:
- Stars & Stripes: Spider-Man to kick off Extreme Summer
- Official Site: Extreme Summer '04

U.S. Speedskating to receive $2 million-plus bonus from USOC

'USOC's Incentives Pay Some Dividends' via Washington Post
Four years after the U.S. Olympic Committee began funding its sports constituents on a merit basis, the payout program dubbed money-for-medals is alive and kicking. The USOC drew up its winter sports budget for 2005 and 2006 -- when the Games will be held in Turin, Italy -- less than two weeks ago. Every national governing body receives a base sum of $250,000 annually.

Long-term plans, athlete development and other factors enter into a complex equation that determines the allocation of merit-based funds, USOC officials say, but the decisions are weighted heavily toward performance, both past successes and future medal potential. "It is a venture capital approach, with the return being performance," USOC CEO Jim Scherr said. Read more

This chart ran in print editions, but not online:

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Gold-Medal Tech: Athletes turn to a Swiss video company, Dartfish, for Olympic perfection via TIME.com

[USOC sports science technologist Mike Leigh] pauses a video of speed skater Apolo Anton Ohno, a gold medalist, and another skater approaching a left turn. In speed skating, the lower the knee's angle, the faster you explode around a bend. Leigh pointed and clicked on two knees. It's easy to decode an advantage: Ohno's angle was 52; his competitor's, 130.

Full article

Apolo skates his 1500m heat at the 2004 World ST Championships

Apolo leads Slovakia's Matus Uzak

Apolo and Martin Johansson (SWE)

Ivan Dolinic (CRO), Pavel Shaidzitski (BLR), Apolo Ohno (USA), Matus Uzak (SVK)